Author: Merrel Briona

Meta Platforms’ consumer AI agent Muse has officially launched a feature that places phone calls to US businesses on users’ behalf. Alexandr Wang, the company’s chief AI officer (CAIO), announced the rollout on his X account on November 12. The feature had been in test mode for a limited group of early users since September, and from now on any paid Muse subscription customer can use it.

In his post, Wang cited use cases for handling calls users would rather not make themselves: “Insurance companies, cable TV providers, the DMV, dinner reservations — just let Muse handle the annoying phone calls.” The feature primarily covers making reservations, coordinating schedules, and waiting on hold for inquiries.

Muse is an AI agent unveiled on September 8 that goes beyond answering questions, carrying out tasks across multiple apps and services on the user’s behalf, including managing email, booking travel, and coordinating schedules. It runs on a dedicated virtual machine called “Muse Secure VM” provisioned in the cloud for each user, and is designed to seek the user’s approval before important actions such as sending emails or purchasing products.

Pricing starts at $20 a month (about 3,200 yen) for 500 million tokens per week, with a $100-a-month (about 16,000 yen) plan offering 3 billion tokens per week for heavy users. The call-delegation feature is currently limited to paid subscribers, but Wang said the feature for issuing a dedicated Muse email address will be rolled out gradually to free users within the week.

According to the company, Muse already has more than 10 million users. Meta is continuing to add features in a bid to push consumer AI into everyday-use products, and call delegation is positioned as part of that effort.

Note: Prices are US subscription plans. Yen conversions are reference values based on roughly 160 yen to the dollar.

Meta is not the only company with an AI agent that makes calls. Google has already introduced similar features such as “Call For Me” for Pixel devices, and startup Instinct offers a “concierge” feature that handles complex calls. With competitors moving first, Meta aims to drive rapid adoption on the back of its user base of more than 10 million.

Reactions on the receiving end, however, are mixed. There have been reports of businesses and reception staff hanging up when they sense a call is coming from an AI agent. As AI becomes better at replicating human voices, it is expected to become harder to distinguish customers themselves from the AI acting on their behalf.

In Japan, Muse only launched on October 23. It is available via iOS, Android, and the web, with many core features offered free. On November 9, Meta also announced support for Apple Watch and Wear OS smartwatches, allowing users to launch the agent from a watch-face complication and give voice or text instructions or check progress. The timing of the call-delegation feature’s release in Japan has not been disclosed.

Call delegation by AI agents could prove highly convenient for consumers who have long struggled with lengthy hold times and complex automated phone menus. Still, operational challenges remain, including how prepared businesses are to accept such calls and how much disclosure is required that a call is AI-initiated. How many users Meta can win over for a paid feature will hinge on the balance between practicality and acceptance.