Meta's standalone AI app has experienced a dramatic surge in downloads following the launch of its newest AI model, Muse Spark, pushing the app into the top five on the U.S. App Store within just 24 hours.
According to data from market intelligence firm Appfigures, the Meta AI app jumped from No. 57 before the Muse Spark launch on Wednesday to No. 5 on the U.S. App Store by Thursday, indicating a flood of new installs.
Muse Spark is Meta's first major model release under Alexandr Wang, the head of Meta's Superintelligence Labs, who was recruited from Scale AI last year to overhaul the company's AI efforts. The rapid chart climb suggests that Wang's leadership may already be delivering results in terms of consumer interest.
What Is Muse Spark?
Meta describes Muse Spark as a significant upgrade over its earlier Llama 4 models. The new model represents the company's most ambitious attempt yet to close the gap with leading AI rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Muse Spark accepts multimodal input including voice, text, and images, and has been designed to perform well across a range of tasks — from helping users learn about their health to reasoning through complex science and math questions. It can also assist with visual coding, allowing users to create websites and mini-games from simple prompts.
Additionally, Meta AI can now launch multiple subagents to handle different aspects of a user's query simultaneously.
The model will roll out to other Meta platforms including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and Meta's AI glasses in the coming weeks. Alongside the model launch, the Meta AI mobile app and website received a redesign with a new look and the ability to switch between different modes depending on the task.
Still Behind the Leaders
Despite the impressive climb, Meta AI still trails the top AI chatbot apps. OpenAI's ChatGPT holds the No. 1 spot, followed by Anthropic's Claude at No. 2 and Google's Gemini at No. 3.
However, the momentum is clearly in Meta's favor. Wang highlighted the achievement in a post on X, noting that the app is "still growing."
The race among AI giants for consumer attention on mobile app stores has become one of the most visible battlegrounds in the broader AI competition. While enterprise contracts and API usage generate the bulk of revenue for most AI companies, app store rankings serve as a key indicator of mainstream adoption and brand recognition.
Downloads Tell a Bigger Story
The numbers behind Meta AI's growth are substantial. Appfigures data shows the Meta AI app has been installed a total of 60.5 million times worldwide across the App Store and Google Play, with 25 million of those downloads coming in 2026 alone.
Over the past five months, Meta AI app downloads have surged by 138% compared to the first five months of the app's availability.
India is now Meta AI's largest market by downloads, followed by the United States, Brazil, Pakistan, and Mexico. This geographic spread reflects Meta's massive existing user base across its social platforms, giving it a built-in distribution advantage that pure AI companies simply cannot match.
A Costly Bet Showing Early Returns
Meta's push into AI has come at an enormous financial cost. The company has spent billions recruiting top AI talent, in addition to its $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI. The Muse Spark launch and the resulting spike in downloads suggest that these investments are beginning to bear fruit, at least in terms of consumer engagement.
The question now is whether Meta can sustain this momentum and convert casual downloads into daily active users who rely on the AI assistant as part of their routine — much like ChatGPT has managed to do since its explosive debut in late 2022.
With Muse Spark rolling out to WhatsApp, Instagram, and other Meta platforms in the weeks ahead, the company has an unmatched distribution channel to put its AI in front of billions of users worldwide. Whether the technology can match the hype will determine if Meta's AI gamble pays off in the long run.
