As Alexandr Wang managed his chaotic X feed, his corporate peers were somewhat surprised by the buzz his posts were generating. The 29-year-old executive populated his social media profile with eccentric and occasionally off-color memes about Muse, Meta’s personal AI assistant. Speaking with podcaster David Senra, Wang acknowledged that his spontaneous posting strategy was part of a deliberate effort to make Meta “cool again.” Wang stated that his posts “made an impact” on the growth of Muse.
From September Launch to App Store Dominance
Muse launched on September 8 and quickly climbed the charts, surpassing ChatGPT to secure the top spot in Apple’s app store just 10 days later. Meta designed the personal AI assistant to handle a diverse array of daily tasks, ranging from online shopping and restaurant reservations to finding dog sitters and organizing calendar, email, and Spotify schedules. The application represents Meta’s first successful breakthrough in the artificial intelligence sector, following earlier stumbles with its Llama and Spark large language models.
Leveraging a Massive Social Network Advantage
While competing AI agents such as OpenClaw and Instinct already populated Silicon Valley circles, Muse possessed a massive structural advantage. Meta leveraged its existing network of several billion potential users already signed up across Facebook and Instagram. The public, growing weary of formal corporate announcements from executives entering their 40s—such as 42-year-old CEO Mark Zuckerberg—responded positively to the unfiltered energy of a younger leader operating in the AI space.
Distractions, Memes, and Corporate Culture
Wang admitted that his constant preoccupation with internet culture occasionally disrupted his professional duties. He noted that he struggled to maintain concentration during official company meetings because he was frequently distracted by new meme ideas. “I would just like think of a meme and I’d be like ‘Oh God, I have to get this out,'” Wang said in his interview with Senra, adding that his coworkers were “somewhat surprised” at the viral buzz his posts generated.
Reshaping Identity Through Digital Risks
Despite raising eyebrows internally, Wang defended the unorthodox strategy by pointing to the shifting dynamics of digital communication. He observed that historical platforms like Facebook and Instagram achieved massive cultural significance, yet the parent company itself historically was not cool. By leaning into humor and unconventional digital risks, Wang sought to reshape public perception around the tech giant’s evolving identity.
