Meta's Muse AI Agent Bars Under-18s, Adds Tamagotchi Toy
Meta's new Muse AI agent is restricted to users 18 and over, requires date of birth, and blocks suspected minors. A Tamagotchi-style Jolly device is planned for later this year.
Meta has launched Muse, an AI agent restricted to users aged 18 and over. The company requires a date of birth and blocks anyone it detects may be under 18 from creating an account, according to wired.com.
The agent features a mascot named Jolly, and Meta plans to sell a Tamagotchi-style device for the character later this year. At Meta Connect, CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared with a Muse character wearing a toga and laurel wreath.
Meta trains its AI models on Muse interactions unless users opt out. The company says it will release a confidential version of the virtual machine powering Muse later in 2026.
The age gate arrives after Meta settled claims regarding social media addiction in August, agreeing to add restrictive features for teens and paying out up to $16.7 billion.
Josh Golin, executive director at the nonprofit Fairplay, and Mona Sarantakos, vice president of Product Management at Meta Superintelligence Labs, are among those commenting on the launch. Julian De Freitas, an associate professor of marketing at Harvard, and Jathan Sadowski, an associate professor at Monash University's Emerging Technologies Research Lab, have also weighed in.
Quick answers
Who can use Meta's Muse AI agent?
Muse is restricted to users aged 18 and over. Meta requires a date of birth and blocks people it detects may be under 18 from creating an account.
What is Jolly?
Jolly is the name of Meta's Muse mascot. Meta plans to sell a Tamagotchi-style device for the character later this year.
Does Meta train its AI on Muse interactions?
Yes. Meta trains its AI models on Muse interactions unless users opt out.