Meta’s Muse Could Upend All Kinds of Businesses. It Hasn’t Yet
Companies have spent the past several weeks trying to reassure investors that Muse and other AI agents pose more of an opportunity than a threat.
Meta's Muse, a shopping assistant powered by artificial intelligence, has the potential to disrupt numerous industries, though the extent of this disruption remains uncertain. Wall Street analysts fear that proactive shopping assistants like Muse could erode brand loyalty, trigger price wars, and diminish corporate profits. However, many executives across various sectors, including travel, internet providers, food, and self-storage, remain unconcerned about immediate disruption.
Indeed, some companies anticipate that Muse could actually benefit them. For instance, food delivery app DoorDash reported hundreds of orders from Muse and other agents, while Hilton's hotel chain called the bookings "insignificant." Similarly, Ally Financial characterized activity as "quite low," and eBay termed it "very, very small."
Despite the slow uptake, companies are already optimizing their websites for agents. Chipotle discovered that agents struggled to complete purchases due to issues like loyalty discounts or late-night ordering. As a result, the restaurant chain refined its website code to enhance the shopping experience for agents. Similarly, Doordash and Costco are optimizing their online content for AI agents like Gemini and ChatGPT.
However, these advancements could come at a cost. Meta plans to charge businesses a fee for transactions facilitated by Muse, with the company predicting that this revenue stream will eventually surpass its advertising business.
Security concerns and errant orders have also raised alarms. Recently, Bank of America warned customers against sharing login information with AI assistants, emphasizing the responsibility for any resulting activity. Some companies have blocked Muse, citing preferences for their own shopping agents. However, Amazon recently acknowledged its anticipation of collaborating with outside agents.
Insurance marketplace Insurify initially blocked Muse but subsequently changed its stance after implementing measures to ensure accurate offer presentation.
Written by urgent.news from Wired's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
