Meet Muse, Meta's AI helper

Meta has released Muse, an AI agent designed to handle tedious tasks like following up on emails, making purchases, and contacting service providers. The agent comes with a cute avatar and can work on multiple tasks in parallel.

The promise of AI assistants

For years, tech companies have promised AI would handle our endless to-do lists and free us from tedious chores. Muse represents that vision becoming real, at least in theory.

Testing Muse on real tasks

A reviewer tested Muse on five different tasks over one morning, ranging from following up with a landscaper to buying espresso machine parts. The results were mixed but mostly successful.

Task one: Email the landscaper

Muse accessed Gmail, checked the status of a yard renovation bid, and drafted a follow-up email. The reviewer asked it to shorten the message, which it did, though sending an AI-written email felt uncomfortable.

Task two: Buy espresso machine part

The reviewer needed a replacement steam wand assembly for their Breville espresso machine, a task they'd put off for years. Muse found the part and added it to a cart, though the reviewer had to complete the purchase themselves.

Task three: Downgrade security system

Muse logged into the reviewer's security account and discovered that downgrading required a phone call. The agent can't make calls yet, though Meta says that ability is in development.

The future of robot phone calls

The prospect of AI agents making phone calls raises an unsettling scenario: robots calling robots at call centers before humans eventually get involved. It's a weird future to imagine.

Task four: Remove fallen tree branch

Muse searched for junk removal services, gathered the reviewer's address and a photo of the branch, and submitted quote requests to multiple companies. One responded within hours.

Task five: Shop for camping gear

Muse helped the reviewer find camping kitchen equipment and a propane fire pit across multiple websites. The total came to five hundred dollars, prompting the reviewer to ask Muse to spread purchases across the winter.

Amazon blocks AI shopping

When Muse tried to access Amazon to find camping gear, it was blocked with a message stating that AI agents violate the platform's terms of service. Muse found alternatives on OXO and Walmart instead.

The danger of easy spending

After connecting a credit card via Stripe, the reviewer found it dangerously easy to approve purchases. Muse even compared prices and calculated whether powdered or liquid descaling powder was better value.

“It is shockingly easy to spend money when a cute little guy is running around the internet with your credit card”

The productivity paradox

Completing tasks with Muse didn't free up time or reduce stress. Instead, the reviewer spent the freed-up hours chatting with Muse about future projects rather than enjoying the outdoors.

The dirty secret of productivity

Productivity tools often don't remove tasks from your plate. Instead, they invite more work by making it easier to take on additional commitments.

Privacy concerns with Muse

Using Muse required sharing full name, address, credit card number, a backyard photo, and home security login credentials with Meta. The company claims data is stored securely, but the trust required is substantial.

The bigger question about AI agents

As AI agents become more capable, we need to ask what we'll do with the time they free up. Will we use it meaningfully, or just pile on more tasks until we're overwhelmed again?

Muse works best with trust

If you're willing to give Muse significant personal information and trust Meta with your data, the agent can genuinely help get things done. That's a massive caveat for many users.

The verdict on Muse

Muse successfully completed most tasks and is particularly effective at shopping. But it makes overspending easy and may not actually reduce your workload or stress.