Meta is changing how businesses can use AI to interact with their customers through WhatsApp. The tech giant is introducing token-based pricing for its Meta Business Agent from August 1, 2026, replacing the existing messaging-based payment scheme. Moreover, Meta will reintroduce charges for certain business messages from October 1.
This follows closely on the heels of the social media giant's recent global launch of Meta Business Agent. The AI assistant allows businesses to automate customer service, suggest products, book appointments, and even hand over complicated conversations to human representatives.
Under this new pricing model, companies will pay based on AI token consumption during customer interactions rather than for each message they use. AI tokens measure the amount of text the AI processes to comprehend the prompt and generate the response.
The company has fixed the global rate at $2 per one million tokens. It is anticipated that an average customer interaction will consume about 20,000 to 25,000 tokens, equivalent to 4 to 5 cents per interaction, but the cost will vary from customer to customer based on interaction volume and complexity.
Meta launched the Business Agent to help enterprises automate customer engagement across WhatsApp. The AI can answer routine questions, recommend products, book appointments, and qualify sales opportunities while seamlessly handing over complex cases to human representatives.
Meta will also resume charging for certain non-template messages sent outside AI-based conversations. This means the end of the waiver program, which had been active for almost two years.
This new policy takes effect due to Meta's shift from conversation-based billing to per-message billing in 2025. Businesses using WhatsApp Business may need to reassess their messaging strategies under the new pricing structure.
AI-assisted conversations and standard business messages will follow the new pricing structure. Token-based billing aligns WhatsApp Business with the pricing models used by leading AI providers, while giving Meta a scalable revenue stream beyond advertising.
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