Amazon blocks Meta's AI agent from shopping on site

Amazon has now blocked Meta's new AI assistant Muse from shopping on Amazon.com for users, reports GeekWire. According to Amazon, Meta has not received permission to allow Muse to use the online store, and the AI agent should also not identify itself as an external service while it is browsing the site. Amazon points to potential privacy and security risks when an AI agent can access, for example, customers' account pages and order history. Amazon states that they are now in discussions with Meta regarding Muse.

Over the past year, Amazon has tried to limit external AI agents' access to its online store. The company has previously clashed with Perplexity and has also tried to stop shopping agents from Google and OpenAI. GeekWire highlights that when AI agents search for and purchase products directly for consumers, online stores risk losing control over both customer relationships and the advertisements users are exposed to. Amazon generated 68 billion dollars in advertising revenue last year.