Meta Platforms shares rose Wednesday as investors responded positively to the rollout of Muse, the company’s personal AI agent (software that performs tasks autonomously). The rally increased co-founder Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth by $13.7 billion, lifting his net worth to $232 billion and placing him sixth worldwide on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Zuckerberg remains down $1.3 billion year-to-date in 2026, making him the richest person currently recording a net-worth decline for the year. Meta shares eased slightly Thursday, leaving the stock down 0.1% year-to-date, or nearly flat. Wednesday’s closing level was Meta’s highest since July, while Zuckerberg’s wealth reached its highest point since he was valued at $241 billion during that period. Meta reached record highs in 2025 but has not set a new peak in 2026, moving from a late-January high to March lows, a May rebound, a June decline and a July rally. The latest advance leaves investors watching whether the move can hold or repeat the stock’s previous pattern of selling off after positive news.