Meta's AI Agent Muse Challenges Apple's Mobile Commerce Dominance

Meta's launch of its personal AI agent Muse in early September has generated buzz and raised concerns about Apple's dominance in mobile commerce. The agent has recorded 2.8 million downloads in the U.S. and Canada within 12 days, according to Bank of America's five-star analyst Wamsi Mohan.

Mohan notes that while Apple can continue selling iPhones, it may gradually lose control over how users find, refer, and buy things. Muse uses AI agents that act autonomously on users' behalf to perform everyday tasks such as sending emails, filling out forms, and making purchase decisions.

This poses a threat to Apple's leading role in mobile commerce, where Meta has gained a new advantage. With Muse, iPhone users are increasingly turning to Meta to express their intent before choosing a specific app, website, or product.