Meta’s Muse Brings AI Agents Into Everyday Shopping

Meta’s personal AI agent Muse became the No. 1 free iPhone app in the United States about 10 days after its September 8 launch. The service is designed to handle everyday online tasks, including shopping, booking travel and sending emails.

Muse works through a dedicated app or WhatsApp. Meta says users can ask in plain language, while the agent uses its own cloud computer and browser to work across websites and connected accounts, even after a user closes the app.

Shopping has quickly become a test of whether such agents can act beyond a demonstration. Meta says Muse can make purchases with user approval, using a one-time payment card through Stripe’s Link service.

But retailers can decide whether to admit outside agents. Amazon blocked Muse from browsing and buying on its site, saying it had not authorized the access and raising concerns about customer security and the shopping experience.

Shopify took a different approach. The companies announced that Muse would support checkout with Shop Pay at Shopify stores, giving the agent a route to find products and complete purchases with participating merchants.

The split points to a new commercial question: will shoppers let an assistant choose and buy for them, and will stores allow it? A 2026 survey cited by Axios found that just 16% of shoppers were comfortable letting an AI assistant both find and purchase products.

The convenience comes with a trust trade-off. Muse may need access to accounts and personal details to complete tasks, while Meta says its system asks for approval before sensitive actions and keeps an audit trail. The company’s claims will face scrutiny as users decide how much control to hand over.

Meta’s early app-chart success suggests a personal agent can attract mainstream attention. Its wider usefulness will depend on reliable results and access to the services people want it to use, not just the ability to chat.