Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent from shopping
Amazon has blocked Meta's Muse AI from shopping on its e-commerce platform on behalf of users, citing terms violations and privacy concerns.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Amazon blocks Meta's shopping assistant AI Muse from accessing its platform
- Meta failed to notify Amazon and the AI did not identify itself while browsing
- Amazon states third-party shopping agents should operate openly and respect rules
- This follows Amazon's previous legal actions against AI search provider Perplexity
Amazon has blocked Meta’s Muse AI shopping agent from making purchases on its e-commerce platform on behalf of users, as reported by GeekWire. A popup message began appearing on Sunday for Muse users, stating that continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon’s Conditions of Use, which customers have agreed to follow.
According to GeekWire, Meta failed to notify Amazon in advance that Muse would access its store. Amazon also raised privacy and security concerns regarding Muse's failure to identify itself when browsing the platform and its apparent ability to capture customer credentials.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
An unnamed Amazon spokesperson stated to GeekWire that third-party applications offering to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions on whether or not to participate. The Verge has reached out to Meta for comment regarding the restriction.
This blocking action highlights the intensifying battle among tech giants as autonomous AI agents increasingly handle consumer transactions. When external algorithms bypass traditional interfaces to shop on behalf of users, platforms risk losing control over customer experience, behavioural insights, and direct monetization channels. Consequently, major e-commerce players are deploying both technical blocks and policy enforcement to shield their ecosystems from automated scraping and unauthorized proxy shopping.
When Meta launched Muse earlier this month, it stated that the AI agent cannot see secure login details or card payment information. Testing by The Verge successfully used the tool to purchase tank tops from Amazon while other items remained in the basket. However, privacy concerns have surfaced since launch amid reports that Muse can access user message contents despite lacking the necessary access permissions.
"We think it’s fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions about whether or not to participate."
Amazon spokesperson
This marks Amazon’s latest effort to fend off competition from rival agentic AI services and keep customers shopping directly with the retailer. Amazon previously sued Perplexity last November in a similar attempt to keep its platform out of the Comet shopping experience, with a judge ruling in favor of Perplexity in August. Additionally, confirmation emails from Amazon have grown notably sparse since July, omitting specific item names and product images to limit information mining by external AI services.
Source: The Verge
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