Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced two new hardware products at the company’s annual Connect conference: a $1,299 pair of lightweight VR glasses and a small handheld device called Muse Charm, designed to work directly with Meta’s newly launched Muse AI agent.
A Keychain-Sized Way to Talk to Your AI
Muse Charm is a compact, palm-sized gadget with a roughly 2-inch touchscreen and built-in 5G connectivity, letting users interact with their personal Muse agent without needing to unlock a phone or open an app. Zuckerberg described the device as packed with technology, positioning it as the fastest way to talk to Muse and show it what’s happening around you, especially for anyone not already wearing smart glasses.
Zuckerberg shared few specifics about what the device can actually do or how much it will cost, saying Meta still needs to finalize its components. The company plans to have it ready in time for the holidays this December.
Betting Big on Agents Over Chatbots
The reveal comes just days after Muse’s public debut, which has already turned into one of the biggest app launches in years some analysts have compared its early momentum to ChatGPT’s breakout arrival in 2022. Meta’s Chief AI Officer, Alexandr Wang, described embracing an AI agent a system capable of taking real action on someone’s behalf, not just answering questions as a sign of being “completely AI-pilled.” Wang said Muse is designed to bring what Meta calls “personal superintelligence” to a mainstream audience.
Alongside Muse Charm, Meta also announced expanded capabilities for the agent itself, including live video chat, real-time voice conversations with customizable voice options, and a dedicated email address for each person’s individual Muse agent. Meta also confirmed plans to eventually give Muse the ability to interact directly with a user’s computer, along with new “connector” integrations linking Muse to outside platforms including expanding retail partnerships with Walmart and Best Buy to support AI-driven shopping.
Taking Aim at Apple
Zuckerberg used much of his keynote to needle Apple directly, unveiling the new Meta VR Glasses as a lighter, sleeker alternative to Apple’s Vision Pro headset. The move reflects a broader, long-running goal for Zuckerberg: reducing Meta’s dependence on Apple and Google’s platforms for distribution a priority that’s only grown more urgent since Apple’s 2021 privacy changes limited how app developers could target users with ads.
Meta also introduced an audio-only version of its Ray-Ban smart glasses, letting users listen to music, take calls, and talk to an AI assistant without any camera or screen a design choice aimed at easing some of the privacy concerns tied to camera-equipped smart glasses. Priced starting at $349, the audio glasses will be available in October.
A Company Pivoting Its Big Bet
The moment carries real symbolic weight for Zuckerberg, who spent years and billions of dollars championing the metaverse as computing’s next major platform a bet many analysts have since written off as a costly misstep. Now, he’s positioning Muse and personal AI agents as the much bigger opportunity ahead. Zuckerberg made clear his view that personal superintelligence won’t just arrive first – it will end up far more significant and impactful than the metaverse ever was, signaling that Meta’s hardware ambitions are increasingly centered on AI agents rather than immersive virtual worlds.
Still, the event wasn’t without hiccups some live demonstrations of the new AI glasses reportedly didn’t go as planned, a reminder that turning agentic AI into something reliably usable in the real world remains a work in progress, even as Meta races to ship the hardware meant to carry it.