WARNINGS ABOUT MUSE

 

Suppose Your Good Friend Has an AI That Knows 

All About YOU!  

By Mare | Been There, Done That | The 80 Detector

 

Well, just when I thought Artificial Intelligence couldn't get any more interesting, along comes MUSE.

 

Not the kind of muse that inspires artists and writers. Nope. This one is being discussed as a personal AI assistant that could help organize information and everyday tasks.

 

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Until you start thinking about what it knows.

 

I've known technology commentator Kim Komando personally since 1992. I subscribe to her Emails and a warning about AI assistants got me thinking about one particular possibility.

 

SUPPOSE YOUR GOOD FRIEND...

 

Suppose your good friend installs an AI assistant and connects it to email, messages, contacts or calendars.

Now suppose you've been exchanging private messages with that friend for years.

Family problems. Health concerns. Money worries. Personal relationships. And yes, POLITICS!

Oh boy. Politics!

 

You might have made an offhand remark about a politician or told your friend something you wouldn't dream of putting on Facebook.

 

You trusted your FRIEND.

 

But did you agree to share those conversations with your friend's AI?

 

THAT'S THE PART THAT SCARES ME!

 

Your Friend Didn't Mean Any Harm

That's what makes this so troubling. Your friend didn't betray you intentionally. They simply installed a new piece of technology designed to make life easier.

 

But if that technology has permission to process their messages, it might also process things YOU wrote. And you might not even know it's happening.

 

That's not a claim that every AI assistant does this. Access depends on the product, its features and the permissions granted. But it's a privacy question worth asking.

 

Who gave my friend's AI permission to learn about ME?

 

The Politics Problem

I don't know about you, but I have friends whose political opinions are about as far from mine as Tucson is from the North Pole.

And that's fine! We can disagree, laugh, argue, and still be friends.

But suppose those private conversations become part of an AI-generated profile? A sarcastic comment could lose its context. A personal opinion might be remembered long after you've changed your mind.

 

Suddenly I'm wondering whether I should be more careful about what I say to people I've known for decades. What a sad thought.

 

Technology is supposed to bring us together, not make us afraid to talk to each other.

 

So What Do We Do?

I'm not suggesting we all throw our phones into the nearest swimming pool. Although some days...

 

I'm suggesting we pay attention.

 

Before connecting an AI assistant to your email, messages or contacts, look carefully at what you're giving it permission to access. Ask your friends whether they use AI assistants that process their messages. Keep truly sensitive conversations out of services you don't trust.

 

And remember, this isn't just about one product. The same questions apply to other AI assistants with access to private communications.

 

One Last Thought

I've spent more than forty years working with computers, teaching people about technology, and watching one marvelous invention after another change our lives.

 

I'm not against AI. Heck, I use it myself!

 

But I believe there is a difference between using technology to help us think and allowing technology to collect every thought we've ever shared.

 

We shouldn't have to become suspicious of our friends just because they installed a helpful app.

 

Would you feel comfortable knowing your best friend's AI assistant might be processing your private conversations?

 

I know my answer. And this time, I'm not laughing quite as hard.

 

— MARE'S BLOG, Been There, Done That — The 80 Detector

 

Sources and Further Reading

 

Kim Komando — October 22, 2026: “Your friend’s AI may keep a file on you.” Kim Komando podcast listings⁠

 

WIRED — October 3, 2026: “Muse Creates Detailed Profiles of All Your Friends and Family.” Read investigation⁠

 

WIRED — September 20, 2026: “Meta’s Muse Is Better at Surveilling Than Helping Me.” Read hands-on review⁠

 

WIRED — September 8, 2026: “Muse, Meta’s New Personal AI Agent, Needs You to Trust It.” Read launch coverage⁠