Meta’s Muse taps into ‘kidult’ market - Semafor

The Mark Zuckerberg-led tech giant is having a consumer AI moment after a rough summer of negative headlines about its glasses and social media addiction trials.

Now, its new Muse agent is looking like a commercial hit, lifting Meta shares more than 25% since the launch earlier this month. Some analysts predict it could be the catalyst for agentic AI to leap from business to consumer applications.

And alongside its new $1,299 VR glasses, Meta this week unveiled a Tamagotchi-like keychain called Muse Charm that allows a user to summon the agent with a tap, featuring avatars of its fluffy Muse mascot.

In a world of Labubus and “kidults,” the cutesy aesthetic is a smart play for the company as an antidote to the intellectual and brainy vibe that much of the industry strives for.

But like faddish gadgets, video games, and toys, including Meta’s older-generation VR headsets (remember the metaverse?), Charm and Muse risk fizzling out like a summer pop song when the first frost hits.