On September 8, 2026, Meta launched Muse — its first "personal AI agent," a step beyond the chatbots you're used to. Instead of just answering questions, Muse goes out and does things for you: it opens a web browser, fills out forms, sends emails, books travel, and completes purchases using a payment card you've added. It's available now in the US through WhatsApp, Meta's own app on iOS and Android, and the web at muse.ai.
What Muse can actually do. Point it at a goal — "find a birthday gift for my sister" or "book a table for four on Friday" — and it browses the web, compares options, and can finish the task itself, including checking out at a store. It can turn things you've saved elsewhere, like an Instagram recipe, into a grocery list, or suggest dinner ideas based on dietary restrictions you've told it about. Unlike a regular chat, it keeps working after you close the app and comes back to you when it's done — or when it needs your say on something.
How it handles your money. Muse doesn't use your card number directly. Purchases currently run through Link by Stripe, which generates a one-time card number for each transaction — Meta says Shop Pay and 1Password support are coming later. Meta also says it's the first AI agent covered by Link's purchase protections — the same coverage you'd get for a damaged item, a price drop, or a return, had you bought it yourself. You do need to add a payment method to use the shopping features at all.
What it costs. Basic use is free. Two paid tiers unlock heavier use: Power at $20 a month and Maximum at $100 a month.
The safety controls Meta built in. Muse runs inside its own isolated "Secure VM," a separate virtual computer walled off from other users, and a second system Meta calls a "Sentinel agent" reviews and approves everything it does on the internet before it happens. You choose which of your apps Muse can reach and how much access to give each one, and it's supposed to ask for your approval before sending an email or making a purchase rather than doing it silently. Meta says none of this activity is shared with its advertising systems.
Why this is worth pausing on. A tool that can browse, negotiate, and spend money on its own is a real convenience — and a real change from anything you've given app permissions to before. Before you connect a card, review exactly which apps and how much spending Muse can access, start with small, low-stakes tasks while you get a feel for it, and check your card statement afterward the way you would with any new payment method. It's currently US-only, so if you're outside the US, you won't see it in WhatsApp or the Meta app yet.