Meta claims @muse username for new AI assistant

Meta has claimed the @muse username on Instagram for its new personal AI assistant, Muse. This change has forced the long-standing British alternative rock band, Muse, to switch their social media handles to @museband on Instagram and @musetheband on X.

While the exact circumstances of the username transfer remain unconfirmed, some reports suggest the band may have changed their handles as early as June, months before Meta officially introduced the AI assistant. Neither Meta nor the band has issued a formal statement regarding whether the transfer was voluntary, commercial, or a result of platform policies.

The incident has sparked discussion regarding how social media platforms manage high-value usernames. This is not the first time Meta has taken over established handles for its own branding, having previously done so with the @meta and @threads usernames. The situation has drawn particular attention from the band's fans, noting the irony given the group's frequent lyrical themes concerning technology and its societal pressures.