Meta's Zuckerberg unveils Muse AI monetization and privacy plans at Connect 2026

September 24, 2026 at 04:46 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced at Connect 2026 that the company will monetize its Muse AI agent by taking a small fee from transactions, while making the agent free for a large number of tokens. Meta also unveiled Muse Confidential VM, an encrypted system designed to prevent even Meta from accessing user data. The announcements come as Muse has reached 560,000 daily active users within 11 days of its September 8 launch.

Key Facts

Meta will take a small fee from transactions made through its Muse AI agent, while offering the agent free for a large number of tokens.
Muse reached 560,000 daily active users within 11 days of its September 8 launch, according to Sensor Tower.
Meta is adding support for PayPal and integrations with retailers including Walmart, Best Buy, The Gap, Sephora, Wayfair, and American Eagle.
Meta announced Muse Confidential VM, an encrypted system designed to prevent even Meta from accessing user data.
Meta is developing private processing for certain AI features on its smart glasses, starting with private translations.

Monetization Strategy

Zuckerberg told developers at Meta Connect that the company believes Muse will make users money and will profit by taking a small fee from transactions. Meta chief AI officer Alexandr Wang announced support for PayPal and integrations with Walmart, Best Buy, The Gap, Sephora, Wayfair, American Eagle, and others. On the travel side, Meta is adding the ability to connect with Expedia, and grocery shopping via Instacart. Muse debuted on September 8 and became the top app on Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, reaching 560,000 daily active users after 11 days according to Sensor Tower. Meta stock soared 11% on Monday following the app's early success, and Wells Fargo and KeyBanc Capital Markets raised their price targets on Meta.

Privacy Protections

Meta announced Muse Confidential VM, an upcoming system that adds encryption to the existing Muse Secure VM to prevent even Meta from accessing user data. Zuckerberg said the distinction matters for an assistant designed to work across connected accounts and handle tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, and shopping. On smart glasses, Meta pointed to existing safeguards including an indicator light for photo or video capture and a feature that disables recording if the light is tampered with. Meta is now developing private processing for certain AI features on the glasses, using a protected server environment similar to WhatsApp, with private translations rolling out first.

Product Expansion

Meta is rolling out computer control for the Mac, allowing the Muse agent to take over a user's Mac on their behalf. Muse is also coming to Meta's various smart glasses, letting users speak to the agent on the go. Muse is the first AI agent built for the average consumer without requiring deep technical know-how, according to Meta.