MENLO PARK, Calif. — Meta Platforms is expanding its new artificial intelligence agent, Muse, into the small-business market and weighing fees and subscriptions as ways to make money from the fast-growing product, a top executive said this week.

Dina Powell McCormick, Meta's president and vice chairman, told CNBC on Wednesday that Muse has become the most downloaded app on Apple's App Store, with millions of downloads since its launch earlier this month. She said the company sees opportunities to turn the agent into a broader commercial platform serving consumers, businesses and online shoppers.

From chatbot to digital assistant

Meta introduced Muse on Sept. 8, describing it as a personal AI agent that can act on users' behalf rather than simply answer questions. The service can plan travel, handle everyday tasks, shop online and complete transactions, according to the company.

McCormick said that ability to take action distinguishes Muse from traditional AI tools.

At Meta's Connect developer conference last week, Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang said Muse had already helped users save money on insurance, track down unclaimed refunds and negotiate a cable bill down by $85 a month.

Expanding to small businesses

Meta is now extending the product through Muse for Small Business, a version designed to help business owners manage day-to-day operations.

The tool can start conversations with customers, manage cash flow........

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