Meta's Muse draws shrugs from roughly 50 companies

Meta has positioned Muse as a force in shopping, claiming millions of people use it for purchases averaging more than $200. That pitch has met a muted reality among the companies that would be most exposed. Executives at roughly 50 firms, from DoorDash and Hilton to T-Mobile and Public Storage, described agent-driven orders as "hundreds", "insignificant", "quite low", and "close to zero" on recent earnings calls and in conversations with WIRED.

Some companies are nonetheless preparing for a future in which agents play a larger role. Chipotle's chief digital officer, Arlie Sisson, said Muse's debut increased agentic orders by a single-digit percentage, prompting the chain to clean up its website code so agents can handle loyalty discounts and after-hours ordering. Costco and Extra Space Storage said sales originating from AI chatbots such as Gemini and ChatGPT are surging, and they plan to optimize for AI agents as well. Even DoorDash is holding discussions, despite CEO Tony Xu calling current agent hype "delusional".

Security and cost questions remain unresolved. Bank of America this week warned customers about sharing login credentials with AI assistants, noting that customers are responsible for resulting activity. And Meta's plan to charge businesses a fee for transactions facilitated by Muse could shift the economics, though InterContinental Hotels CEO Elie Maalouf said the company has not reached any conclusions on an eventual collaboration. Stances are also shifting: Amazon blocked Muse last month but this week said it anticipates working with outside agents, and Insurify, which also blocked Muse, changed its mind after introducing technology to ensure agents present accurate offers.