There were a lot of things we expected from Meta Connect 2026, like a glut of smart glasses, VR glasses that have long been rumored, and several, several, mentions of AI. All of those came to pass, but so did one more thing, and it’s… an AI keychain?
Muse Charm was Mark Zuckerberg’s “one more thing” at the end of the company’s Connect 2026 keynote, and it’s pretty much the prototypical AI gadget. The details are scant, but from the sound of it, it’s a keychain that comes equipped with Muse, Meta’s latest/greatest AI model.
I’m assuming it has microphones, because you’re able to talk to it and interact with it, and presumably do just about anything you’d be able to do with Muse in any other device. Again, there wasn’t much detail, but there was a lanyard attached that could be put on your wrist or around your neck, so I guess it’s a wearable if you want to stretch the definition.
There’s a screen, too, so you can see your adorable little AI minion squirm around while you tell it to your bidding. There’s no word on price or a specific release date, but Meta says they’re hoping to have the Muse Charm ready for “the holidays.”
To be clear, Muse Charm was a surprise to me, but not shocking. Meta is looking to get its AI models in front of as many people as humanly possible, and as long as it’s on an AI gadget parade, why not toss Muse into a keychain, I guess? Will it have broad appeal? Probably not, but Meta isn’t exactly known for being responsible with its hardware pursuits, and Connect 2026 shows that ethos is still there.
Meta isn’t the first one to make an AI keychain, either. Remember the Starboy? Maybe AI keychain/pet thingies are the Next Big Thing. Probably not, but at least it’s not another boring-ass smartphone.
