Meta wants people to build their own Muse gadgets, too
Meta is opening up its Muse AI agent to third-party developers through a new open-source project called Muse Gadgets, providing them with the firmware and tools needed to build custom hardware. This move could accelerate innovation around the Muse platform beyond Meta's own devices, allowing hobbyists and developers to create diverse hardware implementations for interacting with the AI agent.
The company is leading by example with the Muse Home Link, a USB-C powered dongle that connects Muse to home networks to control smart home devices like televisions and speakers. Meta is distributing 5,000 Home Links to Muse subscribers, whilst suggesting potential form factors including E Ink displays, HDMI dongles, and touchscreen accessories, with a dedicated Discord community established to coordinate developer efforts.
- Meta opens Muse AI agent to third-party developers via open-source project Muse Gadgets
- Company releases Home Link dongle for smart home control, distributing 5,000 units to subscribers
- Framework suggests flexible hardware options: displays, HDMI dongles, touchscreen devices
New here? Start with this
Muse is an artificial intelligence tool developed by Meta that helps users interact with and control various devices and systems. The company is now making Muse available to third-party developers through a project called Muse Gadgets, providing them with tools and documentation to create their own compatible hardware.
Normally, hardware options for a digital product are limited to what the company that created it decides to build, but this approach allows independent developers and hobbyists to contribute solutions. This could result in a much wider range of devices and designs being available to Muse users than Meta could produce alone.
Meta is demonstrating this approach with its own Muse Home Link, a device that connects Muse to home networks for controlling televisions, speakers and other smart home devices. The company is distributing this device to subscribers and has indicated potential hardware directions that developers might explore.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Opening the platform to third-party developers taps into global innovation capacity that Meta alone cannot match. Community-driven development has proven transformative in other fields—from Linux to Raspberry Pi—enabling creative solutions tailored to specific needs that corporate teams might never envision. By providing developers with proper firmware and tools whilst maintaining quality standards through reference implementations, Meta can grow its ecosystem exponentially whilst retaining reasonable control over security and experience.
The case against
Third-party hardware implementations introduce substantial risks to security and user privacy that are difficult to police across diverse manufacturers. Quality fragmentation could harm Meta's reputation if users encounter poorly-functioning third-party gadgets, whilst creating complex liability and support obligations. By opening its proprietary technology, Meta surrenders competitive advantage and revenue opportunities that might otherwise sustain its business model and continued platform development.