Wired review raises privacy concerns about Meta’s Muse AI assistant

In short: A Wired review says Meta’s Muse can handle tasks online, but it strongly encourages users to share personal data and uses chats for AI training unless you opt out.

What's going on

Meta has released Muse, a personal AI assistant that can do tasks like finding deals, booking reservations, and shopping online. It can also connect to other services, including email and bank accounts. Muse is available as a standalone app and through WhatsApp.

The app has been downloaded more than 900,000 times in its first week, according to Sensor Tower, Wired reports. The reviewer says Muse is impressive at web browsing because it uses a “virtual machine” (think of a private, temporary computer inside the app) to search and click through websites. In one test, Muse added a breakfast order from a bakery to the cart and prepared to check out, then asked for final approval.

But the same review argues Muse focuses heavily on collecting more user information. The app keeps a “Memory” file that stores details about your preferences and interactions, and Wired notes there is no simple switch to turn that feature off. Under an “ideas” tab, Muse repeatedly suggested connecting more sensitive data, like scanning your inbox, linking checking and savings balances, photographing documents, tracking meals, or sharing passport and license expiration dates.

Wired also reports that users are automatically opted in to having their interactions used for AI model training. Meta says this data is “sanitized” to remove identifying details, and users can turn off training in settings under Data controls by disabling “Help improve our AI models.”

What to watch

Privacy advocates quoted by Wired say the opt-out approach is a warning sign, especially for an assistant that can access email and financial information. Meta says it plans to offer “confidential” versions of its browsing system later this year that are designed to prevent the company from accessing data inside.

Source: Wired