Elon Musk, owner of social media site X (pictured), revealed a plan to launch two new tiers of paid subscriptions to boost earnings and combat the presence of bots.

The executive stated one option will offer ad-free access, with a lower-cost option offering the same features but with current levels of advertising.

Musk teased the idea of a monthly fee on 19 September, in a move he stated would be an effective method of fighting bots due to the increased cost.

The social media company already offers X Premium, an $8 per month subscription service enabling users to edit tweets, display official verification, see fewer adverts and have their posts promoted. 

CNBC reported on 18 October X had begun charging new customers in New Zealand and the Philippines $1 per annum as a test case for an anti-bot programme.

There has been an exodus of advertisers from X over concerns about the departure of executives and other top employees since Musk led an acquisition in October 2022.

In July, Musk revealed X had lost almost half of its advertising revenue, with added negative cash flow on top of a heavy debt load.