If you don't understand what exactly drove Meta up yesterday - you should pay attention to the numbers in this post.
Meta's Muse agent surpasses ChatGPT in mobile penetration rate - Meta found the pedal
Meta didn't wait years to build an audience for Muse.
In just 12 days, the app is already showing a download and engagement rate reminiscent of ChatGPT's early days - and in some metrics, it even surpasses it by a large margin.
According to Sensor Tower data, Muse recorded 2.8 million downloads across the two main app stores during its first 12 days of launch.
But the more interesting comparison is in the specific metrics for the US and Canada, on iOS:
- Muse platform: 1.8 million downloads in the first 12 days
- ChatGPT platform: 1.3 million downloads
In other words, Muse achieved a download rate approximately 38% higher than ChatGPT at the same point in time.
The acceleration is even more pronounced.
On September 19, Muse recorded 264 thousand downloads in one day in the US - a new record for the app.
And this is not a one-time event. Muse crossed the 200 thousand daily download mark for three consecutive days.
For comparison, ChatGPT took almost a year from its launch to reach a rate of 200 thousand daily downloads in the US.
Here it's already hard to talk only about a 'successful launch.' This is an exceptionally rapid adoption rate.
And users aren't just downloading - they're returning
The more interesting data point is actually the DAU, the number of daily active users.
Muse reached 448 thousand daily active users in the US in just 10 days.
The ChatGPT app took 49 days to reach approximately 450 thousand daily active users in the US.
On the 12th day after launch:
🥇- Muse: 642 thousand daily active users in the US 🥈- while ChatGPT reached 'only' 231 thousand
In other words, Muse showed almost 2.8 times more daily active users than ChatGPT at this point in time.
Even when limiting the measurement to iOS users in the US only, Muse reached 359 thousand daily active users.
But it's important to understand something,
Downloads are just getting in the door.
The number that should really light a bulb for investors is the engagement rate.
If users not only download Muse but also return to it daily, Meta begins to build a usage habit - and that is the real asset in the AI war.
Although ChatGPT arrived first and made AI chat a consumer habit.
Now Meta is trying to take a part of this habit, arriving with a massive user base, distribution through its ecosystem, and the ability to integrate AI products into its existing family of apps.
The ultimate goal is penetration into daily life - and ultimately, payment from the end-user that translates into recurring revenue and profits for Meta's giant coffers.
The real battle is just beginning
The numbers from the first 12 days are impressive, but they don't mean Meta has defeated OpenAI.
The big question is what will happen after the launch effect.
🟢Will Muse maintain its usage rate?
🟢Will users make it an everyday tool?
🟢Will it succeed in generating significant revenue?
🟢And will Meta's distribution advantage allow it to continue growing even after the initial buzz fades?
Currently, one thing is clear: Meta did not enter the AI war with a knife.
It entered with a tank.
And the market is already starting to hear the engine.