Amid its aggressive push into artificial intelligence, Meta is exploring the possibility of entering the cloud computing market and competing with established players such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.
Speaking at the company’s annual shareholder meeting, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the option remains open if the company’s expanding AI infrastructure creates excess computing capacity. “It’s definitely on the table,” he said, referring to the possibility of offering cloud services in the future.
Meta has significantly increased its capital expenditure plans for AI development, raising its 2026 spending forecast to between $125 billion and $145 billion from the earlier range of $115 billion to $135 billion. While the company reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings, investor concerns over rising AI investments contributed to a 7% decline in Meta’s share price in April.
Zuckerberg explained that if Meta builds more computing capacity than it requires, the company could generate revenue by renting that capacity to external customers. He noted that businesses frequently approach Meta seeking access to its computing infrastructure.
“Obviously if we get to a point where we feel that we have overbuilt, then that is an option that we have, and that is partially what gives us confidence in investing in building this out,” he said.
The move could position Meta to enter the highly competitive cloud services market currently dominated by Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Meta remains the only major U.S. hyperscaler without a dedicated cloud business, despite investing at a scale similar to its rivals.
Beyond infrastructure, Zuckerberg highlighted the company’s growing focus on AI-powered personal assistants built on it’s Muse Spark AI model. He said demand for premium, high-compute AI agents is expected to increase, creating new monetization opportunities.
They currently offers free AI features through WhatsApp but is developing long-term revenue models around its AI offerings. The company has also announced plans to test monthly subscription tiers for its Meta AI app and website, priced at $7.99 and $19.99 per month depending on features. The initial rollout will take place in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, marking it’s first direct paid AI service offering.
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