Meta’s September 8, 2026 launch of Muse—a persistent personal AI agent running in a secure VM with browser access, app integrations, long-running task execution, and proactive goal management—established the benchmark for Muse-like products and accelerated the agent race. OpenAI followed with Dots in late September, Google released Gemini 4 Argon and related agent features, xAI shipped Grok Bot, and Apple advanced Siri AI, all emphasizing autonomous workflows, memory across sessions, and user-controlled permissions. These rapid deployments reflect intense competition for user habits and ecosystem lock-in, with pricing models ranging from freemium to high-end subscriptions. Traders are watching further capability updates, platform expansions, and any regulatory scrutiny on agent permissions or data handling through year-end 2026 as key near-term catalysts.