Shares of US technology companies showed growth on Monday, with Meta's stock increasing by 11.43%, adding over $190 billion to the company's market capitalization in a single session.
This surge occurred against the backdrop of the rapid advancement of Meta's new personal AI agent, Muse, in US app rankings. According to Sensor Tower data, Muse, launched on September 8, surpassed OpenAI's ChatGPT last Friday, becoming the most popular free application in the American Apple App Store.
Meta positions Muse as 'the world's first personal AI agent created for everyone.' It is capable of browsing web pages, filling out forms, managing email and calendars, booking reservations and making purchases, as well as interacting with the applications and services users use daily.
According to Meta, the agent can remember user preferences and perform daily tasks on their behalf. When performing sensitive actions related to payments or privacy, it requests user approval, thereby balancing convenience and security.
Muse's rapid success marks a significant breakthrough in Meta's effort to enter the consumer AI agent market after years of investment in this technology. Despite Meta's AI models facing stiff competition from leading companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, Muse's early success indicates the company's progress in integrating agentic AI into everyday consumer use.
Bernstein analyst Stacey Rasgon told CNBC on Monday that most AI agents were previously developed primarily for developers and tech enthusiasts, offering little practical application to ordinary consumers, but this situation may change. He noted: 'Meta's Muse and other existing agents are beginning to gain greater potential for wider adoption.'
Nevertheless, the initial excitement has not eliminated market concerns. The tech industry has seen many AI-based products that attracted huge attention upon launch but soon lost momentum.
Privacy is another issue. As global debates on AI regulation intensify, Muse's ability to perform cross-platform tasks requires access to large volumes of users' personal data, raising questions about privacy and data security.
It remains unclear whether Muse will be just a viral hit that fades over time or a product that helps bring AI agents into the mainstream.