Meet Jolly: The Adorable Muse Mascot
Meta’s latest innovation, Muse, features an endearing mascot named Jolly, designed to embody a charming representation of the AI agent. Users can style Jolly much like a doll, giving it a personal touch. At the recent Meta Connect event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg showcased his furry Muse dressed in a toga and a laurel crown. Promotional content on Instagram depicted Jolly in sporty attire, boasting its ability to assist users in achieving their fitness goals. By the end of this year, Meta plans to launch a Tamagotchi-style device dedicated to the Muse character, all wrapped in a distinctly kawaii aesthetic.
The Labubu Connection
While Muse’s digital capabilities have propelled it to the forefront of app rankings, its Labubu-inspired mascot has forged a connection with contemporary culture. Alexandr Wang, Meta’s AI director, has been sharing an array of memes featuring Jolly in various suggestive scenarios. However, one aspect remains puzzling: why does a product aimed at adults (with Muse restricted to users aged 18 and over) resemble a children’s toy so closely?
According to Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts, “This is a story in search of a narrative. People desire the ability to create their own avatar with personality and a unique style because it is enjoyable and brings them happiness. We require all Muse users to provide their date of birth, preventing anyone we identify as under 18 from creating an account, and we conduct additional checks to ensure those claiming to be adults truly are.”
A Design Inspired by Charm
Mona Sarantakos, Vice President of Product Management at Meta Superintelligence Labs, describes Muse’s design process as a commitment to “charming” elements, aimed at making interactions feel less awkward than conversing with “a logo or a corporate entity.”
However, youth advocates are already voicing their concerns regarding the mascot. Josh Golin, Executive Director of Fairplay, a non-profit organisation that has previously campaigned against Meta’s strategies targeting children, remarked, “Goodness, it looks like a Teletubby! It’s clear that this character would appeal to very young children.” He further states, “Those studying children’s media know that such rounded forms are particularly attractive to preschoolers.”
Wider Appeal Beyond Children
Interestingly, the cute aesthetic of Jolly also resonates with me, a 32-year-old man residing in San Francisco. The branding seems to attract individuals across various age groups. Julian De Freitas, an Associate Professor of Marketing at Harvard, who specialises in AI virtual assistants, points out, “Such appealing elements can make the product appear more friendly and less intimidating. They have a high bar to clear, given Meta’s negative perception after social media addiction lawsuits.” In August, Meta reached a settlement regarding social media addiction lawsuits, agreeing to implement restrictive features for teenagers on Instagram and Facebook, in addition to paying up to $16.7 billion.
Charming Design or Child’s Play?
Some experts I consulted expressed scepticism about whether the design was genuinely aimed at children, comparing Muse’s mascot to Japan’s long-standing tradition of using cute characters to market technology. Meta’s approach is not unique; from Microsoft’s infamous Clippy to OpenClaw’s recent red-shell lobster, AI assistants often revolve around anthropomorphic characters. Regardless of age, an adorable creature representing an AI tool can be quite appealing, possibly even distracting from privacy concerns.
Design Choices That Lower Defences
“Design features such as being cute and user-friendly, or appealing to nostalgia for devices that did not constantly surveil or intrude into our lives, are subtle ways to make people let their guard down, stop asking critical questions, and become passive users,” explains Jathan Sadowski, Associate Professor at the Monash University Emerging Technologies Research Lab in Australia. “Agents like Muse try to convince us that they are merely a friendly device residing in our pockets, and definitely not an open portal to the servers of a significant surveillance corporation.” Research suggests that adopting AI agents could make us more passive in our interactions.
Concerns and Future Developments
Meta highlights plans to launch a “confidential” version of its virtual machine by the end of 2026, which would cryptographically and verifiably prevent access to user data. Nonetheless, adults face inherent risks when placing their trust in an AI agent, beyond privacy concerns. Ryan Calo, a professor at the University of Washington and co-founder of its Technology Policy Lab, likens the use of such agents to hiring a tour guide while on holiday. One relies on them as intermediaries between the visitor and the experience, without necessarily knowing who they receive commissions from or the connections that lead the group to specific restaurants.
As the festive season approaches and Meta prepares to launch Muse Charm, its Tamagotchi-like device, youth advocates remain on high alert. Golin remarks, “Meta is making this entirely inappropriate attempt to engage very young children with Muse. Families should reject this, and I believe regulatory bodies should scrutinise it closely.”