The cofounders of WhatsApp resisted ads in the app for years, including after the company was acquired by Meta for $22 billion in 2014. Brian Acton and Jan Koum left the company in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and on Monday Meta introduced ads in the “Status” feature as well as sponsored Channels in the the “Updates” tab of WhatsApp.

Meta Platforms Inc., the owner of Facebook and Instagram, is pushing deeper into AI-generated advertisements in a bid to make it cheaper and simpler for marketers to craft their messages.

Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) could potentially generate over $10 billion in annual ad revenue from its WhatsApp messaging service by 2028, according to an analyst.

WhatsApp, long considered a sanctuary from ads, is now showing promotions in its Updates tab. Meta’s announcement brings status ads, channel promotions and paid subscriptions to the app. Private chats remain untouched,

Key Takeaways Shares of Meta Platforms got a boost Monday as the tech giant announced plans to introduce paid advertising to WhatsApp, opening up a new revenue stream. After reclaiming the 50- and 200-day moving averages,