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Meta's Muse AI Gets Its Own Email, Glasses Get Smarter

Meta Puts AI on Your Face

At Meta's Connect conference on September 23, Mark Zuckerberg didn't just talk about the metaverse—he barely mentioned it. Instead, the hour-long keynote was a full-court press on AI hardware, anchored by Muse, Meta's new personal AI agent. "We want to make the future belong to everyone," Zuckerberg said, predicting Muse will become a superintelligence used by billions. The Verge noted the clear shift: Meta is now stitching together AI, smart glasses, and VR, while metaverse chatter has faded to a whisper.

Three New Glasses, One Without a Camera

On the hardware front, Meta launched its first audio-only smart glasses without a camera, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio Glasses, starting at $349. No photos, no video—just music, podcasts, calls, and voice commands. At 43 grams, they're light enough to forget you're wearing them, and they last up to 12 hours on a charge (plus 48 more with the case). For anyone worried about privacy, this is Meta's olive branch.

Then there's the Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3), starting at $449. It's thinner, looks more like regular sunglasses, and packs a 12MP camera with a six-microphone array that Meta claims cuts over 90% of background noise. Battery life maxes out at 9 hours. Meta also dropped prices—the Meta Adventurer now starts at $249—and says that by the end of 2026, its Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Meta Glasses lines will offer over 100 AI eyewear models.

The third device is a lightweight VR headset that looks more like regular glasses. It weighs just 100 grams—about a fifth of the 2023 Quest 3—and consists of the frames plus a pocketable computing puck. Expect it in spring 2027, starting at $1,299. Zuckerberg also teased Muse Charm, a Tamagotchi-like standalone terminal with a small screen, mic, and speaker, coming by year's end. No price or specs yet.

Muse Moves In—and Gets Its Own Inbox

On the software side, Meta announced that Muse is now integrated into its smart glasses. Just say "Hey Muse" to activate it. Demos showed the AI guiding workouts, logging meals, helping with shopping based on what it sees, and understanding your surroundings. But here's the kicker: Muse has its own email address, so you can message it directly. The Mac version of the Muse app can even operate your computer, turning it into a full-fledged agent for processing tasks.

Since its September 8 launch, Muse has topped the free charts on the US App Store and Google Play, according to Sensor Tower, and gave Meta's stock a nice bump. It's still free, but Zuckerberg hinted at a "small fee" for transactions down the road. Meta is also adding hearing enhancement for mild-to-moderate hearing loss later this year—accessible via a Meta One subscription or a one-time $149 purchase.

On the 23rd, Meta's stock rose 1.02% to close at $744.1, valuing the company at $1.9 trillion. But CNBC cautions that Meta is wading into a graveyard of standalone AI hardware—think Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1. Muse Charm, in particular, has a lot to prove.

Key Points

  • Muse everywhere: Meta's AI assistant now lives in smart glasses, has its own email, and can control your Mac.
  • Privacy play: The $349 camera-free Ray-Ban Meta Audio Glasses target users wary of surveillance.
  • Hardware blitz: A 100-gram VR headset and the Tamagotchi-like Muse Charm are coming by 2027 and late 2026, respectively.
  • Market test: Meta's stock is up, but past AI gadgets have flopped—will Muse Charm break the curse?