Story
Meta Launches Commercial AI Model Muse Spark 1.1, Challenging OpenAI and Anthropic
Summary
Meta Platforms has released an upgraded AI model, Muse Spark 1.1, and opened its API to developers with a new pay-as-you-go pricing model, signaling a direct competitive move against the business models of OpenAI and Anthropic.
Meta Platforms on Thursday released developer access to an upgraded version of its artificial intelligence model, Muse Spark 1.1, introducing a commercial pricing structure that positions the company to compete directly with established players like OpenAI and Anthropic.
A Shift to Commercialization
In a significant strategic move, Meta is now offering public preview access to the Muse Spark API for developers in the United States. This allows them to integrate the model's capabilities into their own software. The company is providing $20 in free credits for testing before transitioning to a pay-as-you-go system.
The pricing for the API is set at $1.25 per million input tokens and $4.25 per million output tokens. According to a Reuters report, this positions Muse Spark 1.1 competitively within the market:
- More expensive than OpenAI’s entry-level GPT-5 mini and Anthropic’s low-cost Claude Haiku 4.5.
- Less expensive than Anthropic’s higher-end Claude Sonnet 4.6 model.
Model Capabilities and Integration
AdMeta described Muse Spark 1.1 as its most capable model for complex, real-world tasks. The company stated the model can write and debug code, use external software tools, and understand multimodal inputs including text, images, and video. This release is part of Meta's broader mission to deliver what it calls "personal superintelligence."
The new model is already available in "Thinking mode" within the Meta AI application and website. It is also slated to replace the existing Llama models that power AI features across Meta's ecosystem, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.
Competitive Context
This launch marks a critical step for Meta, which first debuted Muse Spark in April with a private API preview. By opening access and charging for usage, Meta is directly challenging the revenue models of its key AI rivals. The move follows the company's release of its Muse Image generation model earlier in the week, indicating an accelerated push to roll out a full suite of advanced, commercial AI tools.