Meta Platforms' newly launched artificial intelligence assistant, Muse, has quickly climbed to the top of mobile app charts, indicating the social media giant is carving out a spot in the increasingly crowded consumer AI marketplace.
As of Monday, Muse holds the number one position on both Apple's iOS App Store and Google Play in the U.S. for free apps. According to Abe Yousef, a senior analyst at Sensor Tower, the app has seen over 902,000 downloads in just six days since its September 8 debut, surpassing the 773,000 downloads recorded by its predecessor, Meta AI, over the same initial period.
Because Muse is also available within Meta's WhatsApp messaging platform, the actual user count could be even higher than the standalone download figures suggest. The app empowers users to build customized AI agents that can act on their behalf online, performing digital tasks autonomously.
A key upgrade over the earlier Meta AI, Muse leverages social context from platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Instagram to tailor its responses. It also integrates with third-party services such as Gmail, Apple and Google calendars, and OpenTable, and can navigate external websites through a built-in browser.
In contrast, the free Meta AI app launched in April last year primarily concentrated on image and short-video generation, offering far less personalization. Muse is free to use up to a certain limit, while premium subscription tiers—priced at $20 or $100 per month—provide additional weekly token allotments.
The warm reception for Muse suggests that CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision of highly personalized AI helpers is finally gaining traction with mainstream consumers. It also hints that the tens of billions of dollars Meta has poured into data centers and AI research may be starting to generate tangible returns.
Analysts at Evercore ISI echoed this sentiment in a Monday report, led by Mark Mahaney, stating, "Meta has a hit on its hands with Muse." They described the app's performance as "a very visible demonstration of innovation success" and argued it proves Meta's substantial $200 billion investment in AI has "not gone to waste."
The Evercore research team noted that current user trends suggest Muse could evolve into "a new growth driver for Meta's usage and engagement," potentially unlocking "significant new monetization opportunities" through advertising, subscriptions, and revenue-sharing from transactions. Shares of Meta closed up over 11% on Monday.