Meta made its new AI agent, Muse, the main focus of its annual Connect event. CEO Mark Zuckerberg made it clear that the company plans to add AI features across its products.
The launch came during a week when OpenAI and Anthropic also released new AI models. Even so, Meta's announcements drew much of the attention, according to hosts of TechCrunch's Equity podcast.
On the show, reporters Anthony Ha, Kirsten Korosec, and Sean O'Kane discussed what Muse offers and whether people will trust it.
A Consumer Focus While Rivals Chase Business Clients
Many large AI companies have shifted toward coding and enterprise tools. Meta took a different path by centering on everyday consumers.
The company also showed a small, Tamagotchi-style AI device. Meta says the device is meant for adults only.
Ha noted that OpenAI and Anthropic are both preparing to go public, with Anthropic aiming for this year and OpenAI for next year. He said high costs and high valuations push those companies toward enterprise customers, which may leave room for Meta on the consumer side.
Korosec said the consumer approach plays to Meta's strengths. She pointed to the large user bases of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp as signs that the company knows how to fit into daily life.
Testing Muse and the Trust Question
O'Kane has used Muse since it launched a couple of weeks ago. He described it as Meta's phone-based version of OpenClaw, an AI agent project whose work Meta bought and folded into its own.
One of Muse's first suggestions was to search for unclaimed funds in his name. It found some, and a check is now on its way to him by mail.
Still, O'Kane called the feature "a party-trick type thing." He said it was a one-time win and not something that would keep him coming back.
Meta has pitched a longer-term use for Muse. Users could link credit cards, Gmail, and other accounts so the agent can cancel unused subscriptions and find double charges, similar to apps like Rocket Money.
O'Kane said that is where Meta runs into a "trust wall." He noted that Muse did not immediately connect to his Facebook, Instagram, or Threads accounts when he first downloaded it.
That made him more willing to try it at first. Over time, however, he said the app tries to pull in more of his personal information.
"Meta's business is to sell you ads," O'Kane said. He added that he would feel more comfortable sharing that kind of data with Apple, whose new version of Siri he has also been testing.
O'Kane said that beyond the one-time payout, he has not found other Muse features he considers very useful. He said its consumer-friendly design is a major reason people are talking about it.
