Meta is introducing a new artificial intelligence feature designed to help users handle everyday tasks.
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The company’s new Muse feature is designed to act as a personal AI agent that can help manage email, organize schedules and even shop on a user’s behalf.
As AI assistants become more integrated into consumers’ daily lives, experts say convenience comes with potential privacy and security concerns.
“It is true that these companies are trying to push more into personal assistance,” said Eric Wong, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
Wong said consumers should be cautious about both the tasks they ask AI assistants to perform and the information they provide.
“You really do have to be careful about what you tell it to do and what information you give it,” Wong said.
Meta says Muse operates on a dedicated computer in the cloud and is isolated so that another user’s AI agent cannot access it.
But Wong said consumers should not assume that security measures make a system completely immune to problems.
“Engineers make mistakes sometimes,” Wong said. “Not all apps are perfectly programmed.”
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The technology is also relatively new, and regulations surrounding AI assistants continue to evolve.
Wong said that, for now, consumers have much of the responsibility for protecting their personal information when using these tools.
“Because everything is so new, the products come out, they get adapted, and if something goes wrong, it’s up to the consumer right now,” he said.
How to access your Muse data
For consumers who use Muse and want to see the personal information associated with their AI agent, Meta provides an option to request and download their data.
Users can open the app and select the two-line menu in the upper-left corner. From there, they can access Settings, scroll to Data Controls and select the option to download their agent data.
Before using an AI assistant, consumers should consider what information they are comfortable sharing and what tasks they are willing to delegate to the technology.
The convenience of having an AI assistant handle everyday tasks may be appealing, but experts say consumers should remain mindful that they are also giving the technology access to potentially sensitive information.
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