Dear Meta Platforms Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for Sept. 23

Facebook parent Meta Platforms (META) is picking up serious momentum, and this time, the excitement has little to do with social media. Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking center stage, and Meta may have another major catalyst waiting in the wings. After months of investor concerns over soaring AI spending and whether those massive investments would translate into meaningful returns, Meta is finally making moves that could help shift the narrative.

The company officially launched Muse this month, an autonomous personal AI assistant powered by the Muse Spark 1.3 foundation model and developed by Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), marking a major AI announcement that caught Wall Street's attention. And now, another potential catalyst could be just around the corner. Citi analyst Ronald Josey has highlighted an upside catalyst to watch ahead of Meta's Connect event on Sept. 23, where he expects updates on the company's artificial intelligence products and broader product strategy.

Josey maintained a "Buy" rating and an $800 price target, implying roughly an 18.8% return from the stock's last close. He expects updates on Muse, next-generation AI models, and Meta's glasses strategy, citing an accelerating product cadence and early Muse adoption as factors supporting his view of potential returns from Meta's AI investments. With analysts pointing to next week's developers conference as a potential source of fresh enthusiasm for the stock, here's a closer look at Meta.

Meta Platforms is no longer simply the company behind Facebook and Instagram. With billions of users across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Threads, the tech giant has built one of the most deeply embedded digital ecosystems globally. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004 as Facebook and headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., Meta has since expanded into AI assistants, Quest headsets, and AI-powered smart glasses.

Now, the company is looking to turn that enormous reach into a powerful AI advantage. Rather than building a completely separate destination for users, Meta is bringing artificial intelligence into the platforms people already use every day. Meta AI is available across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger, helping users answer questions, create content, search for information, receive recommendations, and manage everyday tasks without leaving the app.