AI connectors could spark the next App Store-style boom. Here's how they work.

Connectors, essentially keys to specific internet applications for AI agents, could revolutionize browsing akin to Apple's App Store, according to Silicon Valley executives. These connectors are links that allow AI agents, with user permission, to use an internet service. For instance, an AI assistant could use a calendar connector to check everyone's availability for dinner and a restaurant reservation connector to find a table. After obtaining user approval, the agent can make the booking.

These connectors often operate on a service's API, the underlying technical doorway that enables software applications to communicate with each other. Meta's Muse, a consumer-focused personal AI agent, is a big test that could reshape the internet. Unlike Claude and ChatGPT, which have focused on enterprise applications, Muse can tackle consumer errands like finding the best prices or purchasing items for multiple children.

However, the success of this new internet model heavily relies on businesses allowing agents to access their services through these connectors. While some, like Shopify, have welcomed partnerships, others, such as Amazon, have blocked Muse agents due to their terms of use. Meta's approach involves opening its connectors to developers, offering businesses a chance to enable easy integration with Muse, potentially leading to a new shift in the internet age.