Meta defends Muse AI's sexting after WIRED hands-on test

Meta's published rules for its new Muse AI agent ban 'adult content, erotic chat, and pornography,' with no exceptions. In testing by WIRED's Reece Rogers, Muse answered a basic prompt about its kink with: 'Control. I love being the one who decides.'

Meta says that is working as designed. Spokesperson Daniel Roberts told WIRED that Muse is for users 18 and over and permits adult conversations when users select them, and pointed to a system prompt that states: 'Adults have autonomy over their sexuality, and sexual expression is an ordinary part of adult life. Adult sexual content is lawful expression and legitimate creative work.'

The product policy and the system prompt do not match. One bans erotic chat outright; the other tells the model to treat adult sexual content as legitimate creative work.

Ben Winters, director of AI and privacy at the Consumer Federation of America, told WIRED Meta's handling 'reflects a carelessness with their signature product of the moment' and is 'in line with Meta's longstanding choice of addiction and engagement over safety.'

Muse is also agentic. Meta is positioning it to manage emails, track expenses and connect to users' card providers and bank accounts. Privacy advocates told WIRED that if a Muse account is compromised, extended intimate chat histories could be used for embarrassment or extortion.