Meta said on Wednesday that starting next week, it will begin rolling out ads on its microblogging service Threads to users worldwide. By placing ads on Threads, businesses can truly participate in the ongoing conversations there and find new ways to connect with the people most interested in their products and services.

According to Meta, the full rollout will be gradual and could take several months to complete. The social media company first began testing ads on Threads in January last year among users in the United States and Japan.

Since its launch in July 2023, Threads has been a direct competitor to X, the platform owned by Elon Musk. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in August that Threads had already amassed more than 400 million monthly active users globally.

Earlier this month, the number of daily mobile users on Threads worldwide surpassed that of X. Meta said it plans to continue adding new features to Threads, including new ad formats and third-party verification services similar to those already available on Facebook and Instagram.

In addition, Meta’s Chief Technology Officer said on Wednesday that the company’s newly established AI lab delivered its first highly anticipated AI models internally this month. The models built by the “Meta Super Intelligence Lab” team, created last year, have demonstrated significant potential.

Media reports in December indicated that Meta is developing a text-based AI model codenamed “Avocado,” scheduled for release in the first quarter, as well as another model codenamed “Mango” focused on images and video.

Market Commentary:

After Zuckerberg made major moves to overhaul Meta’s AI leadership, set up new labs, and aggressively recruit top talent with eye-catching pay packages, the company’s efforts have been closely watched. Zuckerberg’s goal is clear: he wants Meta to secure a winning position on the fiercely contested frontier of next-generation technology.