Rock band Muse changed their social media handles on X/Twitter and Instagram from @Muse to @Musetheband earlier this year to make way for Meta's new AI assistant of the same name. Frontman Matt Bellamy has now clarified that this was not an unauthorised takeover but rather resulted from a direct conversation with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who sent him a beta version of the tool ahead of its launch this week. The irony was not lost on fans, given Bellamy's history of writing dystopian lyrics about technology and algorithms overtaking humanity.

Bellamy confirmed that negotiations between the band and Meta included trademark protections; specifically, he stipulated that the AI should not interfere with music or merchandise, allowing Muse to sell branded products featuring "Muse AI" whilst preventing Meta from creating a Muse AI tool of their own. The Meta AI Muse assistant, now rolled out in the United States, is designed to help users with routine tasks such as responding to emails, scheduling, and converting long-term goals into action plans. The band will tour the UK and Europe this autumn with their latest album, 'The Wow! Signal', including shows at Manchester's Co-op Live on 12–13 November and The O2 London on 15–16 November.