Meta adds live voice chat and animated avatars to Muse app

Interruptions, background tasks and avatars

During a call, users can interrupt Muse at any point, and it answers straight away. Muse can also keep working on tasks in the background while the conversation continues, for example while the user is out on a walk.

The avatar shows facial expressions and gestures that match the tone of the conversation, and it reacts while the user is still speaking. Users decide how much of it they see: voice only, the avatar next to the conversation, or full screen. Hundreds of voices with different personalities are available, and users can switch between them at any time. At Connect, Meta also said users would be able to shape a voice by describing it, such as asking for a different speed or accent.

Meta suggests using the feature to brainstorm ideas, plan a trip, or practise for a job interview or presentation.

The technology behind it

The avatars run on Muse Realtime Avatar, a model built by Meta Superintelligence Labs, the company's main AI unit. Meta first showed it at Connect in September. In tests run by Meta's own raters, people preferred its avatars to those of rivals Runway and HeyGen, the company said. Meta has also said that not all of its demonstrations reflect the avatars available in the app.

Muse launched in September as Meta's answer to AI agents such as ChatGPT. It runs on the Muse Spark family of models, introduced in April, and can already shop with retailers, send emails and control apps on a Mac. The launch is part of Meta's heavy AI spending, which includes its Hyperion data centre in Louisiana.

Voice conversations will come next to Meta's AI glasses and to Muse Charm, a small clip-on device shown at Connect. Meta has not yet given a date for either.