Meta's Muse Tops App Store, Amazon Blocks It: A New Chapter in the AI Commerce War

Meta has once again shaken up the artificial intelligence landscape with the launch of its personal shopping agent, Muse, which shot straight to the top of the App Store download chart, beating ChatGPT. In the two weeks since it was introduced, the app has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times globally, according to Sensor Tower data. This achievement marks a new chapter in consumer AI competition, in which autonomous agents no longer merely answer questions but are beginning to take over practical tasks such as comparing prices, tracking discounts, and even booking airline tickets.

Muse’s arrival has been welcomed by some consumers who crave efficiency. Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, sees the phenomenon as an acceleration of agent-based shopping. He expects more people to turn to AI assistants to hand off tedious work, such as visiting various sites to find the best deals. "This isn’t a turning point, but an important part of the AI and consumer journey," he told CBS News.

However, not everyone is welcoming it. Amazon surprisingly blocked Muse from its e-commerce platform, citing security and user experience. The move raises questions about how far tech giants are prepared to share space with third-party AI agents. On the other hand, IBM data shows 41% of consumers have used AI assistants for product research, and 31% to look for promotions—a market that is growing rapidly.

Although popular, adoption of AI shopping agents still faces a trust challenge. A Coresight survey of 1,000 consumers found that 30% of respondents were willing to use AI to compare prices during holiday shopping, and a similar number to look for promo codes. John Mercer, Coresight’s head of global research, believes Muse has the potential to leapfrog Claude and enter the top ranks of AI tools if it maintains momentum. "This is a natural evolution of search," he said.

"People are still a little nervous about letting AI agents make purchases on their behalf," Saunders said, highlighting the concern hanging over mass adoption.

For Indonesia, the Muse phenomenon and Amazon’s reaction are an important mirror. The country’s huge e-commerce market, including Tokopedia and Shopee, could become the next testing ground for AI agents. However, data protection regulations and digital transaction security remain unfinished homework. If foreign AI agents enter without control, friction with local platforms is not impossible. On the other hand, opportunities for domestic developers to create similar agents tailored to Indonesian consumer behavior are wide open.

Going forward, the battle is not only about technology, but also about ecosystems and trust. Will Meta be able to convince users that Muse is safe, or will the opposite happen—platforms like Amazon closing themselves off further? Meanwhile, consumers around the world, including in Indonesia, will be the jury determining the direction of AI commerce.