Meta Platforms’ new Muse AI agent is quickly becoming a test case for how autonomous artificial intelligence could reshape consumer spending and corporate revenue models. Its rapid adoption has divided Wall Street, with investors weighing the potential beneficiaries of agentic commerce against companies whose customer relationships and business models could be weakened as consumers increasingly delegate decisions to AI systems.

Muse Gains Rapid Consumer Traction

Muse allows users to delegate tasks including shopping, travel bookings and form-filling to an AI agent. The application overtook ChatGPT as the top free application on Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store in the United States and Canada roughly two weeks after its September 8 launch.

According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, Muse recorded 2.8 million downloads during its first two weeks, with average daily downloads increasing 55% during the first 10 days. The early adoption provides Meta with evidence that consumers may be willing to move beyond conventional chatbot interactions toward AI systems capable of taking actions on their behalf.

The development is strategically important for Meta because the company operates some of the world’s largest consumer platforms. The ability to integrate an AI agent with an established ecosystem of users, advertisers and businesses could give Meta a distribution advantage as autonomous AI becomes more widely adopted.

AI Agents Could Change How Consumers Shop

The emergence of agentic commerce is creating a more complicated competitive landscape. Instead of visiting individual websites or applications to compare products, consumers could increasingly instruct an AI agent to search, evaluate options and complete purchases. That could weaken the importance of traditional customer relationships and brand loyalty if the AI becomes the primary interface between consumers and merchants.

Major banks including NatWest, Bank of America, ING, Capital One and Commonwealth Bank of Australia have already warned that AI shopping agents could introduce risks involving fraud, data privacy and consumer protection. The banks have called for greater transparency when AI agents participate in transactions and stronger safeguards around financial information.

For retailers, the shift could also change how companies compete for visibility. Businesses may need to optimize their products not only for human consumers and search engines but also for AI recommendation systems that increasingly influence purchasing decisions.

Potential Winners Extend Beyond Meta

Some companies could benefit from the transition even if they do not control the consumer-facing AI agent. Shopify and PayPal have been identified among potential early beneficiaries because AI-driven shopping still requires merchants, payment infrastructure and transaction-processing systems.

The financial sector presents a more mixed picture. AI agents could automate portions of financial research, customer service and transaction workflows, potentially reducing costs. However, analysts cited by Reuters argue that concerns about AI fundamentally disrupting financial companies may be overstated because banks and financial institutions retain regulatory relationships, established infrastructure and customer trust that can be difficult for new AI platforms to replicate.

Meta’s Market Impact Extends Across the AI Ecosystem

Muse has already influenced investor positioning beyond Meta. Reuters reported that Meta shares surged more than 11% on September 21, adding nearly $200 billion to the company’s market value, while the broader AI rally helped push the Nasdaq to a record close.

The next phase will depend on whether Muse can convert rapid downloads into sustained usage and recurring revenue. Investors will also be watching whether AI agents redirect spending toward companies such as Shopify and PayPal, alter advertising economics or place greater pressure on businesses that depend on direct consumer engagement. The broader question is whether agentic AI becomes another digital distribution channel or develops into a fundamentally different interface for commerce, finance and everyday services.