AI agent startups face Meta’s shadow

Meta's AI agent Muse, which debuted in September, is receiving significant updates and integrations ahead of its official launch. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized during an event in Menlo Park that Meta is fully committed to Muse, positioning it as a personal superintelligence for billions of users. Muse, powered by the multimodal AI model Muse Spark, can handle everyday tasks by connecting to users' apps and services, such as email and calendars.

At the event, several new features were unveiled to enhance Muse's functionality and user experience.

One notable addition is the ability for Muse users to create a unique digital avatar for their agent, which can then engage in real-time video chats. This feature, powered by a new AI model called Muse Realtime Avatar, aims to make the AI more personable by assigning it a face, body, and voice. Users can then give the avatar tasks and ask questions during live conversations.

Meta has also integrated Muse with its smart glasses line, enabling users to communicate with their agent simply by speaking to their glasses. The agent will activate upon hearing a wake word and can assist users with personalized workouts, meal logging, appointment scheduling, and product purchases. Muse will operate in the background, checking back in to complete tasks, and users can add it to email threads or have it handle emails on their behalf.

The AI agent will be compatible with Mac computers, allowing users to delegate tasks and have it run apps on their desktops, much like other popular AI agents from OpenAI and Anthropic. Meta's chief AI officer, Alexandr Wang, demonstrated how Muse can assist with running a small business or completing work tasks while the user is away from their computer.

Meta has already secured partnerships with companies like Stripe, Shopify, and retail giants such as Best Buy, Gap, Sephora, Walmart, and Wayfair. Muse can access the entire Shopify product catalog agentically and use Lync and Shop Pay to make purchases. The company announced more support for payments with PayPal and plans to connect with small businesses by allowing developers to build their own "connectors."

Over 1,500 applications were submitted in less than a week, indicating strong interest in expanding Muse's capabilities.