Meta’s Muse Charm looks like a Tamagotchi, but it’s tapping into a much newer trend

24 Sept 2026

Is Meta’s just-announced Muse Charm a playful device that will make AI more approachable to everyday consumers, or will it be yet another flop in a long list of AI hardware gadgets that didn’t take off, like the Ai Pin, Rabbit, or Friend pendant? Reactions, so far, have been mixed. What the Charm is, however, is on-trend.

Like it or not, the form factor could potentially appeal to Gen Z consumers who, in this post-Labubu era, have been into various dangling items from keychains and bags. It’s all part of a broader kitschy, retro-inspired shift in their approach to fashion and technology.