Meta (META) Stock Surges 20% Following Muse AI Agent Debut

TLDR

• Shares of Meta have surged over 20% since the Muse AI agent debuted two weeks ago.
• The AI assistant quickly reached the number one spot on Apple’s App Store, surpassing ChatGPT.
• Amazon has prevented Muse from completing transactions on its e-commerce platform due to terms of service violations.
• Truist analysts project Muse could generate $28.5 billion in additional revenue for Meta by 2030.
• At its Connect conference, Meta introduced new devices including Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses and VR eyewear.

Shares of Meta have climbed more than 20% during the past two weeks, driven by enthusiasm surrounding the debut of Muse, the company’s latest AI-powered personal assistant.

Meta Platforms, Inc., META

While the stock has risen consistently, Monday’s session was particularly notable. Meta shares jumped 11% in a single trading day, marking the largest daily increase since April 2025 and reaching the highest closing price since October.

Within days of its launch, Muse ascended to the top position on Apple’s App Store, overtaking ChatGPT in download rankings.

During Wednesday’s Meta Connect conference, the company’s annual gathering for developers, CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the significance of the new product. He positioned Muse as the focal point of Meta’s strategy to democratize AI technology.

“In the coming years, I expect that Muse is going to grow into the personal superintelligence that billions of people around the world are going to use to accomplish their goals and improve their lives,” Zuckerberg said.

The AI assistant offers capabilities ranging from scheduling appointments and organizing travel itineraries to completing online forms. Additionally, it can monitor home security systems and facilitate e-commerce transactions across multiple platforms, integrating with services like Shopify and Stripe for payment processing.

However, Amazon has established strict boundaries. The retail giant has prevented Muse from executing purchases on its website, citing violations of its platform policies.

When users attempt to have Muse complete Amazon purchases, they now encounter a notification indicating that “unauthorized AI agent” activity breaches the company’s terms and conditions.

Amazon Protects Its Platform

Amazon’s defensive posture isn’t unprecedented. Last November, the company filed a lawsuit against Perplexity, alleging its AI systems scraped Amazon’s platform without authorization.

“Amazon’s whole model is fiercely guarding the customer relationship,” said Matthew Hassett, CEO of Loftie and Deliberate. He added that Amazon’s stance amounts to a polite way of saying an app isn’t welcome on its shelf.

According to Emarketer analyst Max Willens, Amazon’s defensive strategy reflects evolving consumer behavior. He observed that shoppers are increasingly beginning their purchasing journeys with AI assistants instead of navigating directly to Amazon’s website.

Meanwhile, competing retailers have embraced collaboration. Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang revealed that major brands including Walmart, Best Buy, Gap, Sephora, and Wayfair have established partnerships with Muse to enable enhanced shopping functionalities.

The ripple effects of Muse’s introduction have extended beyond Meta’s share price. Financial services companies such as Charles Schwab and LPL Financial Holdings experienced declines on Tuesday, while travel platforms Booking Holdings and Expedia saw their stocks drop Wednesday as market participants assessed AI agents’ potential disruption across sectors.

Analyst Perspectives

Cantor analysts, who maintain a buy rating on Meta shares, noted this week that the company’s freemium monetization strategy remains uncertain. While they acknowledge that early Muse usage is likely subsidized, they identify multiple pathways to profitability.

Mizuho analysts emphasized wearable technology as the next frontier. They anticipate Connect will pivot the Muse narrative from application downloads toward what they term “Muse-on-glasses.”

Truist analyst Youssef Squali forecasted that Muse could contribute $28.5 billion to Meta’s bottom line by 2030 as users transition to premium subscription tiers. He characterized it as the company’s most explicit effort to date at diversifying revenue streams beyond advertising.

Meta’s Connect event also showcased new hardware offerings. The product portfolio includes the Muse Charm, a voice-activated handheld gadget, alongside $349 Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses that exclude camera functionality.

A premium option, the $1,299 Meta VR Glasses, is scheduled for a spring 2027 launch. Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke announced Monday that his platform will enable Muse to process transactions seamlessly, describing it as a streamlined shopping and checkout solution.