Meta Expects Most Muse Users to Stay Free Despite the Agent’s Cloud Costs

Muse can keep working after someone closes the app because each agent runs on a dedicated cloud computer. That design puts a cost question behind Meta’s September launch: Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang says subscriptions help cover computing costs, yet he expects most users to stay on the free tier.

A computer for every agent

Muse is meant to do more than answer a question. Meta says it can browse, fill out forms and work on an errand after the user leaves the app. In its launch description, Meta says the agent and data from connected services sit in an isolated cloud computer. The agent returns to the user when it needs a decision, such as approval before sending an email or making a purchase.

That persistent setup distinguishes the workload from a chatbot that stops after replying. Wang told Axios that Muse’s subscriptions help cover its computing costs, according to PYMNTS’ examination of the product. Meta offers a free tier and two paid plans. Wang also said most people should not need to leave the free tier. His comments explain the pricing approach, not how much an individual errand costs Meta.

Downloads show interest, not who pays

Muse topped the App Store charts within days of its September 8 launch. The Sensor Tower download estimate, reported by CNBC and cited by PYMNTS, gives Meta evidence of early interest. It does not show whether people will keep assigning the agent work, or whether enough will choose a paid plan to support the service. Those distinctions matter when an agent can remain active while its user is away.

Meta has another possible route to revenue: Wang said the company is exploring commerce income rather than putting ads in Muse. The agent launched with Stripe’s Link wallet, and PYMNTS describes PayPal and Shopify’s Shop Pay among its checkout partners. Those connections can give Muse ways to complete a purchase. They do not establish how often users will shop through it or what that activity will earn Meta.

Permission has two sides

Commerce also depends on access beyond a payment button. Amazon blocked Muse after Meta declined its request to remove the agent from its site. Amazon says Muse did not identify itself while browsing and appeared to store customer logins. Meta says Muse cannot see users’ passwords or payment methods. The positions address different questions: a person can authorize Muse to use an account, while a retailer can still object to how the agent accesses its store.

Users face their own access decision. Muse can connect to email, calendars, payments, health apps and shopping accounts to carry out tasks. Meta says users choose which services to connect and how much access to grant. The stakes were visible before launch: Reuters reported that Meta delayed Muse from April to work on security, and that internal testers described unexplained disconnections and sensitive information uploaded without permission. Those reports make the controls consequential, not a guarantee against mistakes.