Zuckerberg Says Meta Is Entering a New Phase With Its Muse AI Agent
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says the company's personal AI agent Muse has reached product-market fit and will now be monetized. He expects it to eventually earn more per user than Facebook and Instagram.
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of US technology company Meta, said on Wednesday during the company's third-quarter earnings call that its personal AI agent Muse is entering a new, growth-focused phase. Meta expects the agent to eventually bring in more revenue per user than Facebook and Instagram, which matters because the company is looking for ways to earn back its massive investment in artificial intelligence.
Muse is available only in the US and Canada, yet more than 10 million people have used it since its rollout in early September. "Now that Muse has clear product market fit, we are entering a new phase and a more operational phase that is focused on scaling it," Zuckerberg said. He added that Meta expects to grow the agent to serve billions of people.
How Meta plans to make money
Muse is significantly more expensive for Meta to run than its other services. The company plans to build "commerce tools" that would let it charge businesses fees on transactions the agent facilitates. According to Zuckerberg, shopping is currently the most common use of the agent, with people spending an average of $200 per purchase through Muse. Meta will also introduce AI subscriptions for individuals and business owners who use the agent more heavily.
Zuckerberg said average revenue per American user of Meta's existing apps is several hundred dollars a year, and he expects Muse to reach an even higher level over time given the amount of commerce already taking place.
Smart glasses
Muse is also "central" to Meta's plan to earn more from its AI glasses. The company does not currently make a large profit on the hardware, but adding Muse should help sell more AI subscriptions. Meta previewed the agent on its smart glasses last month at its Connect conference. Users will be able to talk to it much as they chat with Meta AI, check on tasks and add items to its to-do list. Meta has not said whether the glasses will require a separate subscription, but Zuckerberg's comments suggest some features may be paywalled. Muse will arrive on the glasses next month.
