Enterprise deployments grab all the headlines, but consumer AI is where things are getting really interesting. Meta, of course, just rolled out Muse, and I spent the past few days kicking the tires. Muse offers an intuitive UI and a slew of helpful connectors, but in practice Muse doesn’t feel drastically different from my day-to-day setup with Google Gemini, which I've been using regularly for nearly a year.
Muse’s core promise basically mirrors what Gemini already does for me. Gemini talks to my Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar with ease. The minute I fired up Muse, it of course asked for access to the exact same services. Why hand over the keys to a second platform when my context already lives in Google?
And of course we’ve now got Apple rolling out its revamped Siri with Apple Intelligence as part of the latest iOS updates. That’s a completely different animal—built device-first rather than cloud-first. Apple Intelligence has been considered a flop - so far - but their approach has merit and as devices get more powerful, and models get smaller, it starts to make sense.
The Trust Issue and Walled Gardens
Some of my hesitation with Muse comes down to trust. Meta has been working hard to improve their reputation, but after Cambridge Analytica and years of privacy issues, I’m not personally keen on handing them my daily communication history and keys to my data kingdom. So after poking around in Muse for a bit, I unlinked my Google accounts and haven’t hooked up others. At least not yet.
Google does have some disadvantages here, though for defensible reasons. Gemini’s connector setup is limited compared to alternatives like Muse or Claude. Case in point: I tried hooking Gemini up to my Function Health profile—something Claude and Muse do without breaking a sweat. Gemini flat out refused. The reasoning? Strict internal guardrails and regulatory hurdles like HIPAA around MCP integrations for health records. It’s a classic tug-of-war: wide-open integrations versus tight regulatory fences. We all need to make our own decisions on how comfortable we are with these trade-offs in the near-term. Longer-term I fully expect these issues will get resolved.
Everyday Utility
Strip away the architecture debates and compliance talk. Does my assistant actually save me time on a random Tuesday?
Take meal planning. One of my favorite Gemini tricks is dumping a list of whatever odds and ends are sitting in the fridge or pantry, then having it sketch out dinner on the spot. I also use Gemini to carve out time my calendar so the basics don’t get eaten alive by work: gym time, meals, and walking Nimitz (which counts toward my daily cardio more often than I care to admit - but is also a lot more emotionally rewarding than time in the gym).
Segmenting the “3 Me’s”
New niche tools keep landing—invite-only apps like Instinct and Boardy come to mind. Raw model power isn’t the real bottleneck anymore. Persona management is.
I effectively divide my assistants across three distinct buckets:
Personal: Gemini handles personal scheduling, daily logistics, and recipes inside the Google walled garden. I’m also testing Siri for quick, hands-free stuff on my phone.
Professor (Northeastern University): Claude does most of the heavy lifting here, with an occasional assist from Copilot. Claude my go-to for course design, lecture outlines, and deeper analytical work.
Business (Differential Factor): A working blend of Claude, Gemini, and Instinct (I have invites) for strategic advisory projects, client work, and planning.
I don’t think I want one giant monolithic bot running every corner of my life. Keeping things compartmentalized prevents sensitive context from leaking across boundaries and lets each platform stick to what it does best. For me and my three personas, it works.
The Road Ahead
We’re in the very early innings here. The tech giants will keep pitching a singular, all-knowing digital companion, but power users probably won't end up there. Keeping your assistants split between personal and professional lanes isn't a hack, it’s just smart and safe(r) data hygiene. Besides, things are too fluid to settle down just yet, much more innovation lies ahead. I expect by this time next year - maybe next month at the rate things are moving - the conversation may be much different.
Wonderful Musings Chris
I too was NOT thrilled by Muse. And feared more aggressive data collection by Facebook.
I don't use Facebook or Instagram. Only Meta service I use is Whatsapp. It offers easy calling and messaging - where i don't need to remember a phone number. I use my Google Voice number on WhatsApp. only because using my real mobile number led to unwanted telemarketing calls and spam on my mobile.
with Google Voice Number, i do not get any spam or telemarketing calls.
I did not connect WhatsApp to Muse and only connected my Gmail that I use only once in a while.
However,
Muse will grow, as it is released to global audience. Meta has 3 Billion worldwide users, that's the threat. And many people who are not as much aware of AI will use it.