Investing.com -- Meta is preparing to launch a standalone artificial intelligence (AI) application in the second quarter of this year, according to CNBC. This move marks an important milestone in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy to position Meta as the leading AI company by the end of the year. The initiative puts Meta in direct competition with other tech giants such as OpenAI and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL ).

In addition to the standalone app, Meta is also planning to introduce a paid-subscription-service for Meta AI. This decision appears to be influenced by OpenAI’s business model, which involves charging monthly fees for access to more powerful versions of its AI program, ChatGPT.

The standalone Meta AI app will join the ranks of Facebook (NASDAQ: META ), Instagram, and WhatsApp as one of the company’s independent applications. Meta AI was initially launched as a chatbot in September 2023. The company promoted it as a generative AI-powered digital assistant capable of providing responses and creating images based on user prompts within its existing apps.

In April, Meta AI was brought to the forefront of the company’s applications, replacing the search feature for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. The upcoming standalone app is seen as the next step in the evolution of Meta AI, further emphasizing the company’s focus on artificial intelligence technology.

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