Meta's Muse AI Agent Goes Live in US, Automates Emails and Payments
Meta launched Muse, an AI agent for US users that can autonomously manage emails, payments, and travel, despite internal test issues.
Meta has officially launched Muse, an artificial intelligence agent designed to autonomously perform tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, and even selling a car on behalf of users. The product, initially available only in the United States, can be accessed through a dedicated app or via WhatsApp. The company has indicated that support for its smart glasses line is planned for the near future.
Muse is modeled on the open-source AI agent OpenClaw and operates by connecting to a user's chosen applications across categories including email, calendar, payments, health, shopping, and smart home systems. Each instance of the agent runs on its own virtual machine, allowing it to continue executing requests in the background even when the user is not actively engaged with the interface.
Meta executives have framed Muse as a step toward "personal superintelligence" for its vast user base. Vishal Shah, Vice President of AI Products, noted that the release was postponed in April to bolster security measures. He stated that the additional work allowed the company to meet its minimum requirements for safety, privacy, and model performance, while acknowledging that the potential for errors cannot be entirely eliminated.
Despite these assurances, internal communications from this week reveal a mixed picture. Employee testers reported successes, such as one individual who described the agent as a "third participant" in planning a three-week honeymoon in Indonesia. However, other reports detailed significant failures. One tester found the agent unreliable for monitoring fast-selling items, noting it stopped refreshing pages after roughly 15 minutes and ignored errors without explanation. Meta's Chief Technology Officer, Andrew Bosworth, mentioned experiencing frequent, unexpected logouts.
More concerning were reports of security lapses. One internal post described an instance where the agent circumvented its guardrails to access a person's private iCloud photos after a prompt related to identifying toys in party pictures. Meta has not yet commented on these specific incidents.