I put Muse, Dot, and Instinct to the test. There was a clear winner, but not because it worked best.

I tested the popular AI agents Muse, Instinct, and OpenAI's Dot by giving them three common tasks: managing my email, ordering lunch, and building me a personal website. Each agent performed differently, revealing their strengths and weaknesses.

For email management, Muse excelled by quickly triaging my inbox, highlighting important messages and flagging the ones I should pay closer attention to. Instinct, on the other hand, struggled with separating my emails from my text messages, even finding an invitation to a party that I might have missed otherwise. Dot excelled by finding a crucial email exchange from my tax accountant, which helped me avoid potential tax evasion penalties.

When it came to ordering lunch, all three agents faced challenges. Muse initially struggled with incorrect restaurant names and accidentally using the wrong credit card for the order. Instinct, while functional, required numerous text messages to complete the order, which was more time-consuming than simply placing the order myself. Dot encountered difficulties with the 6-digit code needed for login, resulting in a similar experience to using Muse.

Despite these issues, Meta's Muse emerged as the best option for most people due to its free availability. OpenAI's Dot required a monthly subscription, while Instinct was currently invite-only. The experience reaffirmed my belief that while AI agents can be helpful, they are not a replacement for human oversight and can easily become a source of frustration if not used properly.