Leif Abraham, co-CEO of investing platform Public, has been using Meta’s AI agent, Muse, to purchase niche products, resulting in fewer purchases from Amazon. Abraham said that he uses Muse to buy mostly hard-to-find items, such as skincare, vintage wines, and discontinued Levi’s jeans.
Muse is Meta’s bet that customers will trust AI agents to handle internet errands, like booking restaurant reservations or finding outfits. The agent has been a hit, reaching the top of the App Store charts shortly after its launch last month.
Public, Abraham’s company, offers a Muse connector that lets customers link their brokerage accounts to the agent. Abraham has connected his own account and uses Muse for daily brokerage updates and calorie tracking.
Amazon’s decision to block Muse from making purchases on behalf of users may risk leaving money on the table, especially if Muse shopping takes off. Amazon raised concerns about how Muse accessed or stored customer credentials and sensitive data.
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Abraham still considers himself an “Amazon mega user,” but says some recent purchases weren’t up to par. He now uses Amazon only for items that don’t require much research, like toilet paper.
Not everyone’s experience with Muse has been successful. Abraham said several of his friends are also using Muse to find niche products, but results have varied. One friend is still searching for tickets to Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” in IMAX 70mm, a task that Muse hasn’t accomplished.
While Abraham’s story is just one person’s experience, it suggests that Amazon’s decision to block Muse may lead to lost sales, especially if Muse shopping becomes more popular. For now, Abraham will continue to use Muse to find unique products, and Amazon will have to compete with the AI agent for his business.
