What AI model does Meta AI use?
Short answer
Meta AI runs on Muse Spark, the first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs, which replaced Llama on April 8, 2026. In July Meta said Muse Spark 1.1 powers the Meta AI app and meta.ai. Its developer API now offers Muse Spark 1.3, and I found no Meta post moving the consumer apps to it.
If you last looked at this in 2025, the answer was Llama. It isn't any more. On April 8, 2026, Meta moved its assistant to a new model from its new lab, and Llama stopped being the thing behind Meta AI.
Muse Spark replaced Llama in April
Meta's announcement was blunt about the switch: "Muse Spark now powers the Meta AI assistant in the Meta AI app and meta.ai." Muse Spark is the first model from Meta Superintelligence Labs, and at launch it was rolling out to WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and Meta's AI glasses "in the coming weeks."
The Llama connection is in Meta's own comparison. Its Muse Spark post measures the new model against Llama 4 Maverick and calls that "our previous model". Llama carries on as something developers can download; it's no longer what answers you in Meta's apps.
The other change is openness. Llama's selling point was open weights (trained models anyone can download and run). Muse Spark launched closed, with Meta saying only that "we hope to open-source future versions of the model." Meta has since released one small open-weight Muse model, Glimmer, which we cover in our guide to the Muse models.
The last version Meta named is 1.1
On July 24, 2026 Meta tied a version number to the assistant for the first time: "Powered by Muse Spark 1.1, Meta AI can now make plans, connect to email and calendar apps, create slides, and handle tasks on your behalf." Since April the app has also offered Instant and Thinking modes.
Meta's developer pages have moved further. The Muse Spark model page now leads with "Introducing Muse Spark 1.3", with 1.2 and 1.1 listed as earlier versions. That's the API, though. I looked for a Meta post saying 1.2 or 1.3 had reached the Meta AI app and didn't find one, so 1.1 is the last version Meta has named for the assistant.
Muse, the separate agent app
On September 8, 2026 Meta launched Muse, a personal agent app for the US (on iOS, Android and the web, and inside WhatsApp). Meta says it takes action "powered by Muse Spark, Meta's most capable model to date". It's free for most things, with paid plans. It's a separate app from Meta AI, running the same family of model.
What's still unclear
Which Muse Spark version runs today in the Meta AI app, in Muse, or inside WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger is unstated, and those could differ (Meta rolls things out app by app). Its posts also don't say how the Meta AI app and the new Muse app will relate over time.
Quick answers
Does Meta AI still use Llama?
No. Meta switched the Meta AI assistant to Muse Spark on April 8, 2026, and Meta's own Muse Spark post calls Llama 4 Maverick "our previous model".
What model does Meta AI use in WhatsApp and Instagram?
Meta said in April 2026 that Muse Spark would roll out to WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and its AI glasses. Which Muse Spark version answers inside each app is left unstated.
Is Muse Spark open source?
So far it's closed. At launch Meta said only that it hopes "to open-source future versions of the model". Its open-weight model is a separate, smaller one, Muse Glimmer.
Sources
Every source below was read on September 25, 2026. The date beside a link is the date the page itself carries, where it has one.