Meta Muse Hits 10.2M US Downloads in 40 Days, EU Launch Blocked

Meta's Muse AI agent reached 10.2 million U.S. downloads within 40 days of its September 8, 2026 launch, a pace matched by only 11 other apps, most of them mobile games. Daily active users hit 2.5 million on October 16, up 15% week-over-week, and day-one retention stands at 73%, nearly double ChatGPT's rate. In its first 13 days, Muse logged 2.5 million downloads, compared to 400,000 for Claude and 200,000 for Grok over equivalent post-launch windows. The app is available in the U.S. (since September 8) and Canada (since September 18), priced at $20 and $100 monthly tiers. The UK, EU, Australia, India, and most other markets have no announced release date. Meta AI took roughly 18 months to reach the UK after its U.S. launch, and Muse handles more personal data than Meta AI, including email, calendars, connected accounts, and payments, which makes regulatory approval in those markets harder to obtain. In Europe, Muse's core capability of combining personal data across Meta's gatekeeper platforms runs into DMA Article 5(2), which prohibits that combination without valid consent. Meta has also not published a Data Processing Agreement for the Muse model API, a Confidential VM public audit, or an EU launch announcement with data residency terms.