Meta announced a range of new artificial intelligence-powered options at its Meta Connect conference in Menlo Park this week, including improved data security for Muse agents, and new partnerships to facilitate more agentic AI functionality. Meta also showcased new AI glasses models, and a streamlined VR headset that weighs five times less than its current Meta Quest headset.

The main focus of Meta Connect 2026 was Meta’s Muse personal AI agent, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg explaining that Muse is the centerpiece of the company’s broader pivot from the metaverse to AI.

In his keynote speech, Zuckerberg explained that when the company first started building glasses, they believed that the metaverse would come first, then AI superintelligence would come later, which is why it focused on the metaverse initially. But advances in AI meant that it needed to change its approach, and put AI functionality front of mind.

Muse is the primary delivery device for this, and Zuckerberg outlined various Muse elements, including its advanced data protections via Meta Secure VM, a private data process that powers Muse, which not even Meta can access.

Meta’s Chief AI officer Alexandr Wang then discussed the evolution of Muse and coming innovations, including email addresses for Muse agents, in order to improve its functional capacity, as well as new partnerships with Walmart, BestBuy, Gap, Sephora, Expedia, Instacart and Wayfair, who are among a growing number of providers that are now working with Meta to enable Muse connection to their platforms.

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