Starting next week, Threads will roll out ads to users globally. Meta said its youngest platform is now home to 400 million monthly active users, and the move follows advertising tests conducted in 30 countries last year.
“Ads on Threads are powered by Meta’s proven AI-powered ads system, which means people can expect to see the same level of personalisation in Threads ads that they are used to on other Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram,” the company said.
The app has grown faster than any other platform since its debut in July 2023, reaching 200 million users by mid-2024, 320 million as of January 2025, and then adding another 30 million by last April, before hitting its latest milestone.
Using Meta’s Advantage+ programme as well as manual campaigns, supported formats include image and video ads, along with newer options such as the 4:5 aspect ratio and carousel ads. Advertisers can manage Threads ads alongside those on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp through Business Settings, enabling easier cross-posting.
Since its launch, Threads has positioned itself as a competitor to Elon Musk’s X, formerly known as Twitter. Earlier this month, TechCrunch reported that Threads had attracted more daily mobile users worldwide than X, citing data from Similarweb.
Meta has also expanded third-party verification from Facebook and Instagram to Threads, enabling independent brand safety and suitability checks. Ad delivery will remain “low” initially as the feature scales globally, the company said.
Another company introducing ads is OpenAI, which has begun trials on some subscription tiers of its AI tool ChatGPT. The trial will initially take place in the US and will affect some users on the free service as well as a new subscription tier called ChatGPT Go.
During the trial, relevant ads will appear after a prompt. For instance, asking ChatGPT for places to visit in Mexico could result in holiday advertisements being shown. The company said ads will not influence ChatGPT’s responses and that it will not share conversation data with advertisers.
