Meta has Muse. OpenAI now has Dots. Both promise something bigger than a chatbot: give an AI a goal, let it work in the background, and come back when it needs you.
Muse is Meta's personal AI agent. Instead of simply answering questions, it can take action on tasks such as planning, sending emails, booking travel and working across connected services.
a) OpenAI's Dots are always-on AI agents built into the ChatGPT ecosystem. b) Powered by GPT-6 Astra, a Dot gets its own cloud computer and can work toward goals continuously. c) OpenAI says Dots can connect to more than 4,000 apps through its ecosystem of plugins
The easiest way to understand the two is to look at who they're trying to help. Muse: everyday users, personal tasks and goals Dots: professional users, ongoing work and complex workflows
Traditional chatbots generally wait for your next prompt. Muse and Dots are built around a different idea. You can give them a task, leave the conversation and let the agent continue working in the background.
Muse already connects with the way people use Meta's products and is designed to work across everyday apps. Meta has also expanded Muse into small-business workflows, adding connections to services including Shopify, Canva, Slack, Notion, QuickBooks and Stripe.
Dots can be accessed through ChatGPT, Slack and Microsoft Teams. OpenAI also positions them around ongoing responsibilities rather than one-off questions.
Meta says Muse uses a separate Sentinel system to control internet access and requires user approval for sensitive actions such as sending emails or making purchases.
If you want an AI agent for personal errands, shopping, planning and everyday goals, Muse's consumer-first approach may make more sense. If your priority is professional workflows, connected work apps and deeper integration with ChatGPT, Dots may be the more natural fit.
Muse and Dots point toward the same shift: AI isn't just answering anymore. It's starting to act. The next generation of assistants could plan, browse, communicate, organise and complete tasks while you focus on something else.