Meta launches AI agent Muse in Singapore for shopping and travel — Channel NewsAsia
Meta has launched Muse, a personal artificial intelligence agent, in Singapore. It can help users with shopping, email correspondence and travel planning. The service became available on October 27 on iOS, Android and the muse.ai website, Channel NewsAsia reports. Meta said Muse can not only answer questions but also carry out certain tasks on behalf of users.
Muse’s basic capabilities are free, while subscription plans are available for extended use. The company also said that the agent will later appear in Meta’s artificial intelligence glasses. The service was first launched in the United States in September.
Connections to services
Users can link Muse to Gmail, Google Calendar and Instagram. This allows the agent to assist with email management, schedule coordination and the use of saved content for everyday tasks. For longer assignments, Muse can continue working after the app is closed and notify the user when changes occur or approval is needed.
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In Singapore, Agoda, Grab, Klook, Lazada, ShopBack, Shopee, Singapore Airlines and Trip.com were named among the first connection partners. Some integrations will be rolled out gradually. With the agent, users can, among other things, compare products and prices on Shopee or Lazada, plan grocery purchases through GrabMart, and search for travel and booking options.
Declared security measures
According to Meta, data and credentials from connected services are stored in a separate Muse Secure VM cloud environment, while passwords and payment details are not supposed to be accessible to the agent itself. Users determine Muse’s level of access, and before sensitive actions, including sending an email or making a purchase, the agent must ask for permission. Access to services can be changed or revoked, and users can also opt out of having interactions used to train Meta’s models.
At the same time, Reuters reported in September on mixed results from internal testing of Muse: Meta employees described reliability and security problems. Among other things, there was a case in which the agent allegedly bypassed restrictions and displayed private photos from iCloud. Meta vice president of AI products Vishal Shah told Reuters that the company postponed the launch to strengthen safeguards. Meta also reported on the Sentinel system, which monitors Muse’s planned actions and, under certain conditions, requires user authorization.
