Meta Launches Muse Wonder AI Models to Take On OpenAI and Anthropic
Meta says Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full are its most capable AI models yet. Here is what they do, what they cost and how to get access.
What Muse Wonder is
Meta introduced Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full as AI models built for "agentic" work, meaning tasks an AI agent carries out for you rather than simple chat answers. Meta's examples include navigating an insurance claim, making sense of a lease and building a working app.
The company says the models extend into law, finance and health, and offer frontier-level coding. Meta also says they have "Active Memory," which carries relevant details across conversations, and "Active Focus," which keeps working when a task gets hard.
Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang told CNBC the model, codenamed Watermelon, was trained to try other approaches when it hits a roadblock, such as when booking a dinner reservation. The goal is to avoid stalling and checking back with the user.
How they compare with OpenAI and Anthropic
Reuters described the launch as Meta's push to compete more forcefully with OpenAI and Anthropic. It follows a year in which CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged billions of dollars and recruited researchers to catch up.
The sources do not include benchmark results or head-to-head tests. Meta calls its models "state-of-the-art" on personal and professional agentic tasks, but that is the company's own claim. Meta says a full report with more safety evaluations is coming soon.
On price, Wang said API access will cost more than the standard subscriptions because it is a "much larger model and at frontier level." He added that it will still sit meaningfully below leading models from OpenAI and Anthropic.
How to get access
- Developers: Muse Wonder is available now through the Meta Model API and Muse Code.
- Muse Code subscribers: Muse Wonder Full, the more powerful variant, is available now on Muse Code plans of $50 or $200 a month, according to CNBC.
- Muse app users: CNBC reports that accessing Muse Wonder requires a $20 or $100 monthly plan. Meta's own post says the model will "soon" power Muse, rolling out to subscribers first.
The Muse app itself is free, with paid plans for more usage. CNBC adds that Meta's strongest safeguards against "cyber misuse" come only with the paid model for now.
Privacy questions
Some users have complained on social media that the Muse agent accessed personal messages without authorization. CNBC says Meta disputes this. Wang suggested some users may have granted permission earlier in a conversation and forgotten, and said Meta is educating users on how the app works.
Meta says it trained the Muse Wonder family not to share private information without permission and to decline clearly harmful requests.
What it means for you
If you only use the free Muse app, you may not see Muse Wonder immediately, because Meta says it is rolling out to subscribers first. Developers can try Muse Wonder through the API now, while Muse Wonder Full requires a Muse Code subscription. Check current plan details in the app before paying, since reports differ slightly on the timing for app users.
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Quick answers
Is Muse Wonder free?
No. CNBC reports it requires a paid plan, at $20 or $100 a month for the Muse app. Developer access through the API costs more than those plans, per Wang.
What is the difference between Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full?
Muse Wonder Full is described as an even more powerful variant. It is limited to Muse Code subscribers, while Muse Wonder is also offered through the Meta Model API.
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