Meta unveils Tamagotchi-style wearable for its Muse AI agent
Meta introduced Muse Charm, a small wearable with a screen that lets users talk to its Muse AI agent, with shipping planned in time for the December holidays.
At its annual Connect conference, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg used a surprise "one more thing" moment to reveal a new wearable device called Muse Charm, built to connect users to the company's recently launched and already popular personal AI agent, Muse.
The device is palm-sized and can be carried in a pocket or attached to a keychain. It features a small screen displaying a digital avatar representing the agent, referred to internally at Meta as "Jolly." Users can speak to the device, which can then carry out tasks on their behalf.
Zuckerberg said his team packed the entire Muse experience — including the real-time voice and avatar system — into a form factor that fits on a keychain and stays available at all times. A fingerprint sensor on the corner of the device lets users start talking instantly, without unlocking a phone or opening an app. He added that for people not wearing smart glasses, the device would be by far the fastest way to talk to Muse and show it what's happening around them.
The device isn't ready to ship yet. Zuckerberg said the team still needs to finalize the layout of its components, but promised units would be ready to ship in time for the December holidays.
Industry context
The concept of an AI "amulet" has become something of a running joke in the tech industry, with devices like Friend drawing skepticism from many consumers. Still, that hasn't stopped Meta from entering the category. Muse Charm has been described as a lightweight, personality-driven gadget with a Tamagotchi-like feel, giving Meta a relatively low-risk way to experiment with AI wearables while creating another channel to distribute its AI agent to a wider audience.
