Meta lets U.S. users talk out loud with its Muse AI and watch an animated avatar react
The Menlo Park company’s assistant can now hold real-time voice and video-style chats on phones, the web and Macs. Glasses and a wearable come next.
Meta began rolling out voice conversations with an animated, expressive avatar in its Muse app in the U.S. on Thursday, the Menlo Park company said. Muse is Meta’s AI assistant for consumers.
To start, users tap the phone icon in the top-right corner of the Muse app on a phone, the web or a Mac. Meta says new technology it calls Muse Realtime Voice and Muse Realtime Avatar lets the assistant answer right away, and users can cut in mid-sentence, as on a phone call. The on-screen character’s face and gestures change to match the tone of the talk. Users can choose voice only, the avatar beside the chat or a full-screen view, and pick from hundreds of voices.
Muse does not actually see the user; it hears them and reacts to what they say, TechCrunch reported.
Talking to an AI by voice is not new: other AI assistants already offer voice chat, TechCrunch noted. Meta’s twist is the cartoon-like character, which TechCrunch said is nicknamed Jolly by default and can be changed to look more like a person, an animal or another character. Meta pitches uses such as brainstorming, planning a trip or rehearsing for a job interview, and says Muse can keep working on a task while the user walks or cooks.
Meta first showed the feature at its Connect conference in September. It said voice chats will come soon to its AI Glasses and to Muse Charm, a small wearable device.
Source: Meta Newsroom, Nov. 5, 2026; TechCrunch, Nov. 5, 2026