Meta is taking artificial intelligence a step further with the launch of a new personal AI agent called Muse, designed not only to answer questions but to carry out tasks on behalf of users. The new system can handle activities such as planning trips, organizing schedules, sending emails and messages, making reservations and shopping online, including completing purchases after receiving the user’s approval. Unlike traditional AI chatbots that mainly provide information or recommendations, Muse is designed to act independently and navigate digital services to complete a task. Meta says the technology represents an important step toward what CEO Mark Zuckerberg describes as “personal superintelligence,” with AI becoming a more active assistant in people’s everyday lives. The agent is initially available to adults in the United States through a dedicated app and WhatsApp, with Meta planning to expand its capabilities and availability over time.
One of the most notable features is Muse’s ability to shop on behalf of a user. Instead of simply showing a person products or suggesting what they should buy, the AI can search online, compare options and, with the necessary permission, complete a transaction. Meta has designed the system to operate through a secure virtual machine, where the agent can use a browser and interact with websites much like a person would. The company says users remain in control of important actions, with approval required before the AI spends money or carries out certain external tasks. Meta has also integrated payment technology into the system, allowing purchases to be completed through a dedicated payment method rather than giving the AI unrestricted access to a user’s regular financial information. This development places Meta directly into the rapidly growing field of AI powered shopping, where technology companies are competing to create assistants capable of moving from product recommendations to actual purchases.
The launch also represents a major expansion of Meta’s wider AI strategy. The company already uses artificial intelligence throughout Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, but Muse is intended to play a much more active role. Meta wants its AI to understand a user’s preferences and context and eventually help with a wide range of activities, from shopping and travel to communication, appointments and personal planning. The company has also been developing AI tools for businesses, including Meta Business Agent, which can recommend products, book appointments, answer customer questions and close sales through platforms such as WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. This means Meta is developing AI on both sides of the digital marketplace: helping consumers make decisions and complete purchases while also giving businesses AI systems capable of communicating with customers and making sales.
However, the new technology also raises questions about privacy, security and how much control people should give an AI system over their digital lives. Meta says Muse has been designed with safety measures, including user permissions and monitoring systems intended to prevent the agent from taking unauthorized actions. The company delayed the launch while working on security issues and says the current version has reached the minimum standards required for release, but reports have also highlighted concerns from testing around reliability, private data and unexpected AI behavior. The wider technology industry is now facing similar questions as AI agents begin moving beyond conversations and into real world actions, including purchases and financial transactions. Meta’s launch could therefore mark an important shift in online shopping, where the customer may increasingly be an AI agent acting on behalf of a person rather than the person themselves.
