Shares of Meta Platforms (META) remained near their 2026 highs on Sept. 22 as investor attention shifted toward the rapid early adoption of the company's Muse AI agent. META closed Monday at $741.25, up 11.43%, before reaching an intraday high of $757.27 on Tuesday and finishing that session at $736.60, close to the upper end of its 2026 trading range.

The rally followed strong early download estimates for Muse and a series of Wall Street price-target increases tied to Meta's consumer AI strategy. The stock climbed above $700, a level traders had watched during Meta's recovery, after Muse helped drive an 11.4% one-day gain.

Muse Passes 2.5 Million Downloads

Meta stock has gained more than 30% in September since the company launched Muse on Sept. 8. The app crossed 2.5 million downloads within two weeks, according to Sensor Tower, an analytics firm that tracks app-store activity, and newer data put downloads at about 2.8 million in 12 days. Muse has also passed 300,000 daily downloads, adding to investor interest in Meta's consumer AI strategy. Early download figures serve as the first read on whether a consumer app launch has traction beyond its release week.

Monday's rally marked the company's strongest one-day percentage gain since April 2025, with shares touching an intraday high of $753 before closing slightly below that level. The move drew attention from market-focused accounts on X, including A Chart Analyst and Wall St Engine.

A Consumer AI Agent With Paid Tiers

Muse can handle tasks such as sending emails, booking travel, shopping, and completing multistep requests, placing it in the category of AI agents that act on a user's behalf rather than only answering questions. Meta offers a free version alongside $20 and $100 monthly subscription tiers, a structure that gives the company a direct way to test paid demand for its AI products.

Wall Street Raises Meta Targets After Muse Launch

Jefferies analyst Brent Thill raised his Meta price target to $875 from $710 on Tuesday. He pointed to Muse adoption and said the product changed the market narrative around Meta's ability to build a consumer AI agent. Wells Fargo also raised its target to $796 from $640 after the app gained traction.

The target changes follow a period in which investors questioned Meta's large AI spending plans. The company expects capital expenditure between $130 billion and $145 billion this year, with much of that money going toward data centers and computing infrastructure. Muse has shifted how investors frame that spending, positioning it as a possible new revenue engine. Jefferies estimates the service could generate $10.8 billion in annual revenue by 2027, assuming 1 billion users and a 3% paid conversion rate. Those forecasts depend on user growth, retention, and Meta's ability to convert free users into paying customers.

Muse Opens New Revenue Routes

Meta built its business around digital advertising, but Muse offers the company another revenue stream. Paid subscriptions can help cover computing costs, while commerce activity could create transaction-based income if users complete purchases through the assistant. The monthly subscription tiers also create recurring revenue alongside advertising, which depends on ad demand.

Meta has also started connecting Muse with outside commerce platforms. Shopify announced an integration that allows Muse users to shop across merchant catalogs and use Shop Pay during checkout. The agreement expands the number of stores that Muse can access without requiring Meta to build its own merchant network.

Meta Expands Muse Commerce With PayPal

Meta added PayPal (PYPL) to the commerce network around Muse as well. PayPal said in an announcement on X that the partnership will allow users to shop and complete checkout through Muse across participating merchants. The agreement gives Meta another payment route as it tests agent-led shopping.

PayPal shares rose during Tuesday's session after the announcement, while Meta traded near its 2026 high. The partnership adds payment infrastructure to Muse as Meta develops the assistant beyond information requests and basic digital tasks.

Meta Connect and Earnings in Focus

Meta Connect, the company's annual developer conference, now gives the company another chance to explain how Muse fits into its broader AI strategy. Investors will also watch upcoming earnings for evidence that Meta's AI spending supports revenue growth without putting more pressure on profits. The download pace and the share of users who move to paid tiers are the same variables analysts cite in their revenue estimates, making them figures to track as more data arrives.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Analyst price targets and adoption estimates do not guarantee future stock performance.

This article first appeared on The Market Periodical.