Meta's new AI agent called Muse is making waves across the tech and finance worlds. The app, which partners with Instacart for grocery shopping, hit number one on Apple's App Store and boasts a 95% task success rate. Meta head of AI Peter Steiner admitted Muse was heavily inspired by OpenClaw, though the company says it was built from scratch. Amazon has blocked the app from its site, stating it will not let AI services come between the company and its customers.
The launch has sparked concern among banks and financial firms. Charles Schwab fell 6.1%, while JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Morgan Stanley all declined. Investors worry that Muse could make it easier for customers to compare rates, fees, and products across providers, weakening customer loyalty and reducing deposit inertia. At the same time, Meta's stock surged as the company prepared for its annual Connect conference.
In other AI industry news, OpenAI and Anthropic together account for over 95% of AI token spending tracked by Ramp. OpenAI leads with $13.7 million in tracked spend, followed by Anthropic at $13.1 million. Google and xAI trail far behind. Separately, Goldman Sachs predicts Big Tech's cash flow will triple to $2 trillion, driven by growing AI demand and increased investment in research and development.
On the regulatory front, China is reviewing Broadcom equipment use in state-backed data centers as part of a push to grow its domestic AI industry. The review aims to reduce dependence on foreign technology, with results expected by year end. Meanwhile, Shopify launched an AI-powered checkout layer aimed at improving the customer checkout experience, while researchers introduced TAME, a method to tackle chain-of-thought obfuscation in vision-language models using Sparse Autoencoders.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>Meta's Muse AI agent reached number one on Apple's App Store and has a 95% task success rate</li><li>Amazon blocked Muse from its site, citing concerns about AI services interfering with customer relationships</li><li>Charles Schwab fell 6.1% and JPMorgan, Wells Fargo dropped over 3% due to fears Muse could help customers switch providers more easily</li><li>Meta admitted Muse was heavily inspired by OpenClaw but says it was built from scratch</li><li>OpenAI and Anthropic account for over 95% of AI token spending tracked by Ramp, with $13.7M and $13.1M respectively</li><li>Goldman Sachs predicts Big Tech cash flow will triple to $2 trillion driven by AI demand</li><li>China is reviewing Broadcom switch usage in state-backed data centers to reduce foreign tech dependence</li><li>Shopify launched an AI checkout layer to improve the customer checkout experience</li><li>Researchers developed TAME, a method using Sparse Autoencoders that improved CoT monitorability by up to 30.9 percentage points</li><li>CoreWeave and Nebius received Sell ratings from Rothschild Redburn over concerns about AI business models and falling GPU-rental prices</li></ul>
Meta's Muse AI teams up with Instacart for grocery shopping
Meta launched a new AI agent called Muse that partners with Instacart to help with grocery shopping. Investment strategist Brian Belski says his firm is still not buying Meta stock. The Muse app has a 95% task success rate but some investors remain cautious.
Meta stock rises at Connect conference as Muse AI app shakes up markets
Meta Platforms stock surged as the company prepared for its annual Connect conference. The Muse app has weighed on stocks for companies like Expedia and Charles Schwab. Investors are worried that AI agents like Muse are moving into more industries. Muse is considered the latest hit AI product.
Meta and Amazon clash over Muse AI app ahead of Connect conference
Meta's new Muse AI personal agent has become very popular and reached the top of Apple's App Store. However, Amazon has blocked the app from its site. The success of Muse has boosted Meta's stock but hurt some financial services and travel companies. Amazon has said it will not let AI services come between the company and its customers.
Meta's Muse AI helper raises concerns about personal data
Meta revealed a new AI-powered feature called Muse that promises to help with everyday tasks. The app is also fueling concerns about personal data. Users are worried about how their information may be handled by the new AI helper.
Meta admits Muse AI was heavily inspired by OpenClaw
Meta's head of AI Peter Steiner said Muse was heavily inspired by OpenClaw. The similarity in workspace filenames and content was not a coincidence but a match. Meta's AI lead Friedman said they thought OpenClaw's creator got things exactly right. Despite the similarities, Friedman said Muse was built from scratch. The app hit number one on the U.S. App Store and is used by millions.
Meta's Muse AI agent worries banks and finance firms
Meta's Muse AI agent is causing concern for banks and finance companies. Investors worry the tool could make it easier for customers to switch providers. Charles Schwab fell 6.1%, while JPMorgan and Wells Fargo dropped over 3%. The risk involves customers using AI to compare rates, fees and products across firms.
Meta's Muse AI raises risks for financial firms
Meta's Muse AI agent is raising fresh concerns for finance stocks. JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley all declined after the news. AI agents could reduce deposit inertia and make fee comparison easier for customers. The main worry is that AI tools could weaken customer loyalty and make switching providers simpler.
New method tackles chain-of-thought obfuscation in vision-language models
Researchers developed a method called TAME to address chain-of-thought obfuscation in vision-language models. Reinforcement learning can make AI reasoning traces less monitorable even as accuracy improves. TAME uses Sparse Autoencoders to suppress template-associated activations during training. The approach improved CoT monitorability by up to 30.9 percentage points over GRPO on some datasets.
OpenAI and Anthropic dominate AI lab customer spending
OpenAI and Anthropic together account for over 95% of AI token spending tracked by Ramp. OpenAI leads with $13.7M in tracked spend and a 48.9% share. Anthropic follows at $13.1M with 46.8%. xAI ranks third with $633.9K, while Google sits fourth with $429.5K, showing a steep drop-off after the top two labs.
Big Tech cash flow expected to triple to $2 trillion
Goldman Sachs predicts Big Tech's cash flow will triple to $2 trillion, driven by growing AI demand. The growth reflects increased investment in research and development. Steady cash flow will help these companies hire talent and expand operations. This trend is expected to fuel innovation and economic growth tied to AI and emerging technologies.
Aeroflex Neu Board Approves Shift Into AI Infrastructure and Precision Engineering
Aeroflex Neu's Board met on September 23, 2026 and approved entering the AI infrastructure and precision industrial products markets. The company sold its 51.01% stake in Fibcorp Polyweave for ₹192.12 lakh and invested ₹3.00 crore in Stilonn Valves. Q1 FY27 revenue was ₹28.24 crore, down 4.92% year over year, while net profit was ₹6.93 lakh. The shift moves the company away from low-margin bulk packaging toward high-growth engineering sectors.
Shopify Launches AI Checkout Layer as Stock Outlook for 2026 Is Discussed
Shopify introduced an AI-powered checkout layer that aims to improve the checkout experience for customers. The current stock price is $147.74 with a model entry price of $137. Analysts suggest the stock could reach $200 or higher in 2026 depending on performance and market conditions. However, a decline is possible if expectations are not met.
CoreWeave and Nebius Receive Sell Ratings Over Concerns About AI Business Models
Rothschild Redburn initiated CoreWeave and Nebius with Sell ratings on September 21, citing concerns about their AI economics. The firms argue that falling GPU-rental prices, hyperscalers building their own capacity, and expensive financing could reduce returns. Both stocks rose about 10% after the announcement. The bull case believes growing cloud demand will still benefit these companies long term.
China Reviews Broadcom Equipment Use in State-Backed Data Centers
China is examining its reliance on Broadcom switches in state-backed data centers as part of a push to grow its domestic AI industry. The review is being conducted by the National Development and Reform Commission. It aims to reduce dependence on foreign technology and support national security and economic goals. Results are expected by the end of the year and will guide future AI industry development.
Researchers Propose Framework for Participatory Speech Dataset Creation With Queer Communities
This paper calls for a participatory framework in speech dataset creation, using the LGBTQIA+ community as a case study. The authors note concerns about AI harms such as 'gaydar' technologies that attempt to identify queer individuals. They review current speech data collection methods and explain why these may not suit queer speakers. The proposed framework includes community definition, project formulation, participation modes, and personal autonomy.
Sources
- Meta's new AI agent Muse partners with Instacart
- Meta Rallies Into Connect Conference. Why The Muse AI Agent Is Sending Some Stocks Lower.
- Meta's standoff with Amazon over Muse could be a sign of things to come
- Meta's Muse: New AI helper, new data concerns
- Meta admits Muse's likeness to OpenClaw isn't a coincidence
- How Does Meta's Muse AI Raise Risks for Banks & Other Finance Firms?
- How Does Meta's Muse AI Raise Risks for Banks & Other Finance Firms?
- Taming CoT Obfuscation in VLMs: From Mechanistic Evidence to Activation Enforcement
- These Are The Top AI Labs With The Most Customer Spend, As Per Ramp
- The future of AI growth rests on Big Tech's cash flow tripling to $2 trillion: Chart of the Day
- Aeroflex Neu Board Agrees to Enter AI Infrastructure and Precision Industrial Products Market
- Shopify Became AI’s Checkout Layer This Week. Here’s Where the Stock Could Go in 2026
- CoreWeave and Nebius Just Got Sell Ratings. Can Their AI Economics Hold Up?
- China takes stock of Broadcom gear amid domestic AI drive
- Towards participatory speech dataset curation: A queer case study and conceptual framework
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