US search interest in Meta's newest artificial intelligence application, Muse, climbed to a 90-day peak on Tuesday, coinciding with the app's rise to the top of the US App Store rankings. Google Trends data for the United States recorded an index reading of 100 for the term "Muse AI" on September 22, the highest value in the 90-day dataset.
The reading represents roughly 2.5 times the prior seven-day average of 39.4 and about 5.7 times the previous 30-day average of 17.5. The seven-day intraday series also gained momentum during Tuesday morning, moving from 50 to 69 before reaching 100.
Meta shares rose about 1% on Tuesday, adding to an 11% gain from the prior session. The stock has drawn increased attention from analysts following the app's launch.
Early download figures surpass ChatGPT's mobile debut
Market intelligence firm Apptopia estimates that Muse accumulated more downloads in its first 12 days than ChatGPT did over the same period following its mobile launch, though the comparison is limited to the US and Canada. The two apps entered the market with different strategies: ChatGPT debuted globally on iOS, while Muse is available on both Apple's App Store and Google Play but currently restricted to the US and Canada.
To create a more consistent comparison, Apptopia analyzed iOS data from the US and Canada for both applications. Muse recorded 1.8 million downloads in that subset during its first 12 days, versus 1.3 million for ChatGPT. Globally, Muse tallied 2.8 million total installs in the same window, according to Apptopia.
Analysts flag growth and revenue potential
Muse launched on September 8 as an AI assistant capable of handling tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, and completing transactions. The basic version is free, while subscription tiers are priced at $20 or $100 per month for heavier usage.
JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth suggested Muse could become a leading consumer AI application. "Muse has the potential to become the most widely used consumer AI application since ChatGPT," he wrote in a Tuesday note to clients.
Jefferies raised its price target for Meta to $875 per share from $710, while maintaining a Buy rating. The brokerage cited signs of strong consumer adoption and a potentially significant monetization opportunity through e-commerce and paid subscriptions.
Jefferies analysts led by Brent Thill noted that investors had previously discounted the possibility that Meta could develop a personalized consumer AI agent. The firm estimated that if Muse reached 1 billion users by the end of 2027 and at least 3% converted to a paid version, it could generate $10.8 billion in annualized revenue. Jefferies said the potential revenue contribution could support more than 20% fiscal 2027 growth and create upside to its estimates.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
