AI Receptionist

How to Set Up an AI Phone Agent with Meta Muse

3:08 · October 16, 2026

This AI phone agent answers calls and texts on its own business number, and takes a message when you miss or decline a call on your own phone. It's set up from Meta Muse in about 10 minutes, and the same steps work in ChatGPT, Claude or Grok. The agent in the video is deliberately simple: it only takes messages for the team, with no meeting booking, and web search and email are switched off because it doesn't need them, which also makes it cheaper to run. Every conversation lands in the Carly inbox, where you can read it and reply yourself. Once it's running, you can give it different instructions and tools for each kind of caller, like employees, contractors, leads and customers.

Step by step

1. 01

   Create a Carly account and open Agents

   On usecarly.com, create an account, name your team and open the Agents tab.

2. 02

   Send both setup prompts to Muse

   The Agents tab shows two setup prompts. Copy both and send them to Meta Muse, or to ChatGPT, Claude or Grok.

3. 03

   Give Muse a Carly API key

   Muse connects to Carly with an API key. Create one under Integrations → Advanced → API Keys and paste it in when Muse asks for it.

4. 04

   Create the agent

   Press New agent and describe it, for example: "A very simple agent that just takes messages. It doesn't need to book meetings or do anything else." You can also create it just by asking Muse.

5. 05

   Give it a number, review it and turn it on

   Give the agent a phone number, read through its instructions and tools, and switch off the tools it doesn't need, like web search. Then toggle it on. It can take calls and texts right away.

6. 06

   Forward your missed calls to it

   On the Configure tab, press Forward missed calls, pick your carrier and follow the instructions. It takes about two minutes, and your callers keep the number they already know.