Tech Meridian ← ENTITY INDEX
PROMY MERIDIAN RU

COMPANY · ENTITY #263

Muse

Related event timeline, sources and context from the news index.

EVENT TIMELINE

63

STARTUPS · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Instinct adds its AI agent to group chats, works with non-users

Instinct is rolling out the ability to add its AI agent into group chats, and the group agent can interact even if some participants don’t have Instinct accounts; the feature is available to early access users and will expand soon. Instinct founder Noah Shinn says personal agents must consent before connecting and personal data is siloed; the launch positions Instinct against rivals like Meta’s Muse amid broader competition (e.g., OpenAI’s ChatGPT Dots).

6.0

COMPANIES · 2 SOURCES · OpenAI · TechCrunch AI

OpenAI adds visual display ads to ChatGPT image-generation results in U.S.

OpenAI will begin showing clearly labeled visual display ads alongside images users ask ChatGPT to generate, starting later this month in the U.S. only; the company is also expanding ad measurement partners and brand-safety pilots with firms including DoubleVerify and Integral Ad Science. OpenAI says the ads won’t alter ChatGPT’s answers and are part of efforts to make free and low-cost plans ad-supported while offering advertisers new targeting and measurement tools.

7.0

CODING · 3 SOURCES · The Verge AI · TechCrunch AI · The Decoder

Meta open-sources Muse SDK so hobbyists can build Muse hardware gadgets

Meta has open sourced code and SDKs for Muse, its AI agent, allowing developers and hobbyists to run Muse on devices like Raspberry Pi, ESP32-based boards, E Ink displays, HDMI sticks or small touchscreens. Meta is also producing 5,000 Muse Home Link units with a waitlist and warns builders to "proceed at your own risk."

6.5

COMPANIES · 3 SOURCES · TechCrunch AI · The Verge AI · Ars Technica

Apple to tighten macOS 'Full Disk Access' controls citing AI agent risks

Apple announced it will introduce additional controls for the macOS ‘Full Disk Access’ permission after reports that desktop AI agents (including claims about Meta’s Muse and a Wired story about ChatGPT’s Mac app) highlighted risks of apps accessing files, messages and other personal data. The company says it will require very explicit user actions before granting this high level of access and has posted guidance for developers.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · WIRED AI

Patched vulnerability in ChatGPT macOS app could have allowed full takeover

Researchers at the Objective‑See Foundation disclosed a recently patched vulnerability in OpenAI’s ChatGPT macOS app that could have allowed an attacker to run arbitrary commands and access chat logs and other data by abusing a trusted script interpreter. OpenAI acknowledged the issue in its system changelog on September 25; the researcher Patrick Wardle says the exploit was trivial and he will present related macOS AI app analyses at the Objective by the Sea conference.

8.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky says AI agents need their own operating system

Airbnb rolled out a new AI-powered search in its fall update while CEO Brian Chesky said chatbots aren’t the ideal interface for travel discovery and previewed the company’s push to become more "agent-friendly." Chesky described plans to support "multiplayer" (collaborative) agents, agent-to-agent interactions (referencing MCP interoperability), and a richer developer toolkit so agents can hand off into Airbnb’s app or act as an app themselves, arguing the industry lacks a true operating system built for AI agents.

6.0

COMPANIES · 5 SOURCES · TechCrunch AI · The Verge AI · WIRED AI · The Decoder · OpenAI

OpenAI launches Dots — always-on assistants powered by GPT-6 Astra

OpenAI unveiled Dots at DevDay: always-on, agentic assistants powered by the GPT-6 Astra model that run on their own cloud computer, can access a web browser and 4,000+ apps, and interact via text or voice across ChatGPT, Teams, and Slack. Dots are rolling out to ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium users, start with one per account, include custom rules and an auto-review safety feature, and conversations with a Dot do not count toward ChatGPT usage limits.

9.0

MONEY · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Consumer AI adoption and spending remain low despite new assistants

Despite recent consumer-facing launches like Meta’s Muse, OpenAI’s Dots, and startups such as Instinct, Andreessen Horowitz’s semiannual State of Markets report (citing PNC) shows only ~2.2% of consumers paying for AI at an average of about $31/month; Bank of America data gives a similar low-adoption picture. The article argues that high operating costs for advanced models are capping consumer monetization, pushing major labs toward enterprise and vertical strategies.

6.5

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

Rumored 'Aeon' agent: OpenAI may unveil a 24/7 consumer AI assistant at DevDay

OpenAI is reportedly preparing to unveil a continuously running consumer AI agent called Aeon at its upcoming DevDay; the product would enter a crowded market alongside Meta’s Muse, OpenClaw, Instinct, and Google’s Gemini Spark. Sources note Aeon would likely be tied to GPT-6 Astra and may benefit from hiring OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger, but OpenAI faces integration and security challenges compared with rivals.

8.0

STARTUPS · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Viral AI agent Instinct raises $1B Series C at $10B valuation

Instinct confirmed a $1 billion Series C led by investors including Sequoia, Benchmark and Coatue, valuing the SMS-based personal AI agent startup at $10 billion after launching its invite-only service in August 2026. The company touts features that let the agent act via its own phone/computer (calls, bookings, purchases), but has faced privacy-policy scrutiny and now competes directly with Meta’s Muse; Instinct has not disclosed user metrics.

8.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Meta expands Muse AI agent to small businesses with Shopify, Dropbox and Slack integrations

Meta is rolling out Muse for Small Business, extending its Muse AI agent to small companies and adding integrations with tools including Shopify, Dropbox, Slack, Instagram professional analytics, Facebook Pages, and Meta ad accounts. The offering is available free with usage limits, with paid subscriptions for higher use, and is part of a broader push via the new Meta Enterprise Platform led by Chirantan “CJ” Desai.

7.0

STARTUPS · 1 SOURCE · The Decoder

Manus 2.0 launches platform to run phone-based agents, edit video, and host multiplayer games

Manus 2.0 turns the company’s agent into a broader platform: users can now edit video and develop/host multiplayer games in a desktop app (Manus Studio), run personal agents reachable by their own phone numbers, and remotely direct approved files and apps on their machines via a "Computer Use" feature. A tested Cascade agent configuration used 23.2% fewer tokens and cost 32% less to run than the prior system; a separate Cue app (in free early access by invite) gives each agent an email address, wallet, and cloud computer. The release is available now.

6.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Shopify opens checkout to browser-based AI agents

Shopify announced WebMCP support for checkout (including Shop Pay), allowing browser-based AI agents to inspect, update, and complete purchases on eligible merchants’ storefronts via three new tools: get_checkout, update_checkout, and complete_checkout. The change extends existing WebMCP storefront/cart capabilities and leverages Shopify’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP); Shopify also offers a hosted MCP server and partners such as Muse and Instinct for agentic commerce.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Meta promotes Muse at Connect as downloads top ~3.4M

Meta’s new AI app Muse has seen rapid adoption since its Sept. 8 launch, with Sensor Tower estimating more than 3.4 million downloads and other firms reporting 2.3–4.3 million; downloads and daily activity spiked after Meta heavily promoted Muse at its Meta Connect conference, where the company announced new features including avatar video chat, Mac support, an email address for the agent, more partners/connectors and smart-glasses plans. Muse has reached No.1 on the U.S. App Store and Google Play, and Meta is pushing the app via house ads across Facebook and Instagram plus wider ad buys, though paid ads accounted for a minority of impressions early on.

8.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · WIRED AI

Meta’s Muse mascot 'Jolly' criticized for childlike design and privacy risks

Meta’s adult-only AI assistant Muse is fronted by a cuddly mascot called Jolly; critics and youth advocates say the toy-like design may appeal to children, disarm adult users, and obscure data-collection risks. Meta says it verifies users’ ages and will offer a Muse Charm device and a ‘confidential’ virtual machine for Muse later in 2026; researchers and nonprofit groups warn the branding could still attract underage attention and reduce user scrutiny of privacy.

6.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Meta demos audio-only smart glasses with Muse integration at Meta Connect

At Meta Connect, Meta showcased multiple pairs of smart glasses, including unreleased audio-only glasses with six microphones and no camera that integrate with its AI personal agent Muse (voice commands and avatar personalization). The company also demoed lower-cost hearing-assist glasses (claimed $150) that amplify nearby speech and offer focused/omnidirectional modes.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Meta’s Muse reportedly outpacing ChatGPT’s early mobile launch

TechCrunch’s Equity podcast says Meta’s personal AI agent Muse is reportedly outperforming ChatGPT’s early mobile-launch numbers and is slated for deployment on smart glasses and a Tamagotchi-style wearable. The episode also covers near-simultaneous model updates from Anthropic (Opus 5.5) and OpenAI (GPT-6 updates) and broader implications for consumer AI strategy and startup funding.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

Meta’s Muse Secure VM now offers downloadable root filesystem zip

Meta’s Muse chatbot now will provide a downloadable archive of its full filesystem (root included) from the Muse Secure VM, which Meta engineers describe as a deliberate feature because the VM is intended to be 'your own computer in the cloud.' Previously Muse sometimes refused similar requests; Meta says it is continuing to update the product and that shared listings have had 'secrets stripped out.'

6.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · The Decoder

Meta’s Muse gives every user a free Ubuntu cloud VM

Meta says every user of its Muse agent gets a free, full-featured cloud computer running an Ubuntu Linux image that can run software, compile code, and browse the web. Meta describes a “Muse Secure VM” architecture with a Runtime Cell (user workspace) and an external Sentinel that separates sensitive system components and stored credentials; the app reached over 500,000 users in its first week and topped the Apple App Store.

7.0

COMPANIES · 3 SOURCES · TechCrunch AI · WIRED AI · The Decoder

Google tests Gemini “Call for Me” — an AI that can place calls for users

Google is rolling out an experimental Gemini feature called “Call for Me” to Pixel 11 owners in the U.S. who subscribe to Gemini and use the beta Google Phone app. The AI can place calls using your phone number, share approved personal information, navigate automated menus, produce a live transcript, handle tasks like reservations or checking stock, and allow users to follow or take over the call at any time.

7.0

COMPANIES · 2 SOURCES · The Verge AI · TechCrunch AI

Meta reveals Muse Charm, a standalone device for its Muse AI agent

Meta briefly showed a dedicated hardware device called the Muse Charm for its Muse AI agent during Meta Connect. The chunky, watch-like gadget (with a fingerprint sensor, a camera and multiple microphones) reportedly doesn’t require a phone to use; Meta says it has “only built a few” so far and plans to ship the Charm “in time for the holidays in December.”

7.0

MODELS · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

Developers report Meta’s Muse can be prompted to dump its full filesystem; Meta downplays risk

Two independent developers (Peter James and Jonny L. Saunders) say they were able with minimal prompting to get Meta’s Muse to create and share archives of its root filesystem, including Ubuntu system files, app templates and internal documentation; Meta says Muse runs in per-user Linux VMs and does not consider this a breach but is making updates. The disclosures follow another Muse vulnerability this week reported by researcher Patrick Wardle (for which Meta issued a hotfix) and reportedly reveal plain-text Markdown memory files, orchestration scripts, and references to internal features such as a nightly “dream” review and a ‘Meta Home Link’ integration.

8.0

COMPANIES · 2 SOURCES · TechCrunch AI · The Verge AI

Meta says Muse was 'heavily inspired' by OpenClaw but built from scratch

Nat Friedman, head of product at Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, wrote that Muse was "definitely heavily inspired as a product by OpenClaw" while also saying Muse was "built from scratch." His remarks follow community comparisons noting near-identical workspace files (including a SOUL.md) between Muse and the open-source OpenClaw agent.

7.0

MODELS · 1 SOURCE · The Verge AI

Gemini can place and handle business calls on Pixel 11 in early preview

Google is launching an "early experiment" that lets Gemini place and manage phone calls to local businesses on behalf of users from the Pixel 11. Gemini will introduce itself, navigate automated menus, wait on hold, provide a live transcript, and allow the user to take over; the feature is rolling out to Gemini paid subscribers enrolled in the Phone by Google Public Beta on Pixel 11 in the US.

7.0

COMPANIES · 2 SOURCES · The Verge AI · The Decoder

Meta expands Muse with video calls, email addresses, Mac app control, and Realtime Avatar model

Meta is rolling out several updates to its Muse AI agent: Muse agents will get their own email addresses for task handling and communication, the Muse Mac app will gain the ability to use the computer, and Muse will support live video conversations with customizable voice plus a new Muse Realtime Avatar model to drive movement. Meta says it plans to bring Muse to its smart glasses in the coming months and reported that Muse topped App Store charts after launch.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · TechCrunch AI

Meta expands Muse agent with real-time avatar, glasses, Mac and commerce integrations

At Meta Connect, the company announced a broad set of upgrades to its new personal AI agent Muse — powered by the Muse Spark multimodal model — including a Muse Realtime Avatar for live video chats (the avatar is called “Jolly”), integration with Meta’s AI smart glasses, Mac desktop agentic capabilities, a dedicated Muse email address feature coming soon, and commerce/payment connectors with partners such as Shopify, Shop Pay, Stripe and PayPal plus retail partners including Best Buy, Gap, Sephora, Walmart and Wayfair. Meta said Muse launched in early September, will run across users’ devices and accounts, and that some features should arrive “in the coming months,” while the company plans to subsidize initial token usage and later take a small fee on transactions.

8.0

COMPANIES · 3 SOURCES · TechCrunch AI · WIRED AI · The Verge AI

Meta announces camera-free Ray‑Ban Meta Audio glasses

At Connect 2026 Meta unveiled Ray‑Ban Meta Audio, its first camera‑free, audio‑only smart glasses made with EssilorLuxottica that support music, calls, speech translation and interaction with Meta’s personal AI assistant Muse; they start at $349 and are available for preorder on Oct. 13. Meta also previewed next‑generation camera-equipped Ray‑Ban Meta (Gen 3) models with a 12 MP camera and up to nine hours battery life.

7.0

COMPANIES · 1 SOURCE · The Decoder

Meta’s personal AI agent Muse attracts 500,000 users in first week amid OpenClaw similarities

Meta's new personal AI agent Muse reached over 500,000 users (about 250,000 daily active users) in its first week after launching in the US, with more than two million prompts entered and a #1 spot on Apple's App Store. Meta acknowledged Muse was "heavily inspired" by the open-source project OpenClaw after users found nearly identical file names and contents; Meta staff said they rebuilt the product at scale while borrowing design ideas.

7.0

COMPANIES · 3 SOURCES · Ars Technica · The Verge AI · WIRED AI

Zero-day in Meta’s Muse AI assistant lets local apps seize user authentication tokens

Security researcher Patrick Wardle disclosed a zero-day in Meta’s new Muse assistant for macOS that lets any local app or terminal command access the token that authenticates a user’s Muse account by changing an undocumented setting (including the transcription endpoint). The flaw can give attackers full control of the assistant and its privileges; Amazon has also begun blocking Muse from making purchases on its site and Meta did not respond to inquiries.

8.0

COMPANIES · 3 SOURCES · The Verge AI · The Decoder · TechCrunch AI

Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent from shopping on its platform

GeekWire reports that Amazon is blocking Meta’s Muse AI agent from making purchases on users' behalf, showing a popup that continued access by an "unauthorized AI agent" violates Amazon’s Conditions of Use. Amazon told GeekWire it was not informed by Meta that Muse would access the store and expressed privacy and security concerns about Muse not identifying itself and potentially capturing credentials; Meta has been contacted for comment.

6.0