Meta's Muse AI assistant can now talk back to you out loud

Meta's Muse AI agent can now talk with you out loud. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced real-time voice conversations today, and the feature is rolling out now in the US app. As Muse speaks, the avatar at the top of the chat animates in time with its words.

What it does

A Verge reporter tried it on the iPhone app. Muse answered quickly by voice, though it sometimes paused while looking up information, as it does in text chat. The avatar's movements matched the speech well. For the reporter's chosen avatar, a lookalike of Zuckerberg, the effect felt a little uncanny.

• You can ask Muse to change its voice tone and let it decide.
• You can also browse voice options in the avatar settings.
• The feature is live in the US app now.
• AI glasses get it soon, and the Muse Charm gadget is meant to ship this year.

What to think about

Typing is a quiet, private act. Talking to an AI is not. Anyone nearby can hear what you say, so a busy train or a shared room may not be the place to ask about money, health or work.

The material does not say how Meta handles voice conversations, what the feature costs, or when it reaches other countries or Android phones. It also gives no date for the glasses. Those answers are worth checking before voice becomes a habit.