The short versionOpenAI's Dots works toward an ongoing goal inside ChatGPT. Meta's Muse handles everyday tasks like bookings, forms and shopping and is free for most of what people need. SpaceXAI's Grok Bot gives you a team of AI coworkers for lanes like sales, marketing and operations and is included with SuperGrok. For a small business, the right pick depends on what you want off your plate.
"AI agent" is the buzzword of the season, and three of the biggest names now sell one. OpenAI has Dots, Meta has Muse and SpaceXAI has Grok Bot. All three keep working in the background. They don't do the same job.
What happened
Meta introduced Muse on September 8. SpaceXAI, formerly xAI, launched Grok Bot in beta on August 11. OpenAI introduced Dots at DevDay on September 29.
The details
OpenAI Dots: one long-running project. OpenAI describes Dots as always-on agents. Each dot has its own cloud computer, works toward your goals around the clock and connects to more than 4,000 apps through plugins. You hand a dot a project and it figures out next steps, keeps making progress between conversations inside ChatGPT and brings work back for you to review. Dots is rolling out to ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium in eligible markets, with the first dot included at no extra cost. ChatGPT Pro starts at $100 a month, with higher tiers at $200 and $500.
Meta Muse: everyday tasks. Meta's pitch: "It doesn't just answer questions, it actually does the work." Meta says Muse can send an email, book travel, fill out forms and negotiate, and it comes back for approval before steps like sending an email or making a purchase. Muse is free for most of what people need; Meta's Help Center lists paid Power ($20 a month) and Maximum ($100 a month) plans that add more usage. Muse is available in the US and Canada, per Meta's September 29 Muse for Small Business announcement.
Grok Bot: a small AI team. SpaceXAI says: "Grok Bot is your team of always-on agents." Its own teams created Bots for sales outbound, marketing campaigns, office operations and bug fixes, with a chief-of-staff Bot coordinating specialist Bots. Grok Bot is included with SuperGrok plans; SpaceXAI's pricing page listed SuperGrok at $30 a month with Grok Bot access when checked on October 5. It's also included with Cursor Pro, Pro+, Ultra and Teams plans.
Prices and availability were checked October 5 and may change.
Why brands should care
These tools are moving from answering questions to doing work. For a small business, that's the difference between a chatbot and a part-time assistant. But each one is built around a different kind of work, so the wrong pick means paying for capability you won't use.
What to do
- Name the job first. One ongoing project points to Dots. Personal and admin errands point to Muse. Separate lanes like outreach and ops point to Grok Bot.
- Start free where you can. Muse's free tier is the lowest-risk test.
- Check the exact plan before you pay. Confirm which tier includes the agent, and whether it's available in your country.
- Keep approvals on. Anything that sends, buys or posts should come back to you first.
- Measure the time saved. If it isn't saving hours within a month, cancel.
Sources
- OpenAI: Introducing dots
- ChatGPT: Dots
- OpenAI Help: About ChatGPT Pro tiers
- Meta: Introducing Muse
- Meta Help Center: Muse subscriptions
- Meta: Muse for Small Business
- SpaceXAI: Introducing Grok Bot
- SpaceXAI: Grok Bot on more plans
- SpaceXAI: Pricing
- TechCrunch: OpenAI launches Dots
- Wired: OpenAI Dots
- Engadget: xAI is now officially SpaceXAI
FAQ
What is OpenAI Dots?
Dots are always-on agents in ChatGPT, introduced at DevDay on September 29, 2026. Each dot has its own cloud computer, works toward your goals around the clock and connects to more than 4,000 apps through plugins.
Is Meta Muse free?
Meta says Muse is free for most of what people need. Its Help Center lists paid Power ($20 a month) and Maximum ($100 a month) plans that add more usage.
What is Grok Bot?
Grok Bot, from SpaceXAI (formerly xAI), launched in beta on August 11, 2026 as a team of always-on agents, with a chief-of-staff Bot coordinating specialist Bots. It's included with SuperGrok plans.
