Meta shares rose more than 6% Wednesday after the company said early interest in Muse, its autonomous AI assistant, exceeded expectations. Muse can independently manage emails, book flights and restaurant reservations, and track personal health goals. Unlike a conventional chatbot, an AI agent (software that plans and executes tasks independently) can complete sequences of actions for users. The app became the fourth-most-trending free download on Apple’s U.S. App Store. Meta provides basic functions free of charge, while more complex tasks require a paid subscription, creating a potential recurring-revenue stream if initial interest becomes sustained usage. The launch gives investors a consumer-facing product tied to Meta’s planned spending of $130 billion to $145 billion this year, much of it directed toward AI infrastructure, talent and product development. Muse could also be integrated across WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Facebook, giving it access to billions of users. Meta’s advertising business may benefit from the assistant’s ability to help research products, arrange travel and complete purchases. The gain came during a weak Wall Street session, while Alphabet fell around 2.3% as investors considered whether autonomous assistants could reduce traditional search activity. Meta shares remained virtually flat for the year, up just 0.5%, leaving user retention and paid-conversion rates as the next test.