Meta acknowledges a loss of 20 million daily users in Q1 2026 while announcing a record investment in AI infrastructure, at a particularly delicate moment for the company. In its quarterly report, Meta confirmed a drop of 20 million daily active users across its app ecosystem—Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—compared to the previous quarter, as reported by The Verge. This is the largest decline in years and coincides with the announcement of new multi-billion dollar investments in data centers, GPUs, and AI technology, a strategy that has become routine for Zuckerberg's company. The Family Daily Active People metric, which sums the unique daily users across all Meta platforms, shows this decline. Although the total base exceeds 3 billion users, the drop is a clear sign of wear, something not seen in a long time. Despite this setback, advertising revenues remain strong, preventing a stock market crash. However, analysts raise the key question: how long can Meta sustain increased spending on AI if its user base is shrinking? During the investor call, Zuckerberg reiterated that the bet on AI is long-term and that results will come over time. Meta has officially stated that spending on infrastructure for 2026 will exceed initial forecasts, approaching the levels of the largest hyperscalers in the industry. The exact source of the user exodus has not been detailed. Facebook continues to lose appeal among those under 30, Instagram faces content saturation similar to TikTok, and WhatsApp, while irreplaceable, is the least profitable per user. The context is complex: TikTok continues to gain ground, and algorithmic fatigue affects users, who perceive less relevance in feeds and more ad saturation. Abandonment is not immediate, but the trend is clear: less usage, less interaction, and ultimately, uninstallation. The situation recalls the metaverse episode in 2022, when Meta invested billions in Horizon Worlds without achieving the expected impact, leading to a pivot towards AI. This time, however, generative AI does show practical applications and profitable products: Llama competes with closed models, Meta AI is already present in WhatsApp and Instagram, and the Artemis chip aims to reduce dependence on Nvidia. Still, the combination of user loss and increased spending is risky. Meta has weathered similar crises, but competition—OpenAI, Google, ByteDance—is more active than ever. Level of expectation: 5/10. The investment in AI is logical, but losing 20 million daily users while promising the future is a serious challenge for Meta. Zuckerberg needs a relevant launch in the coming quarters to maintain investor confidence and sustain his narrative. Source: The Verge.