Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent from shopping on Amazon

In short: Amazon has blocked Meta’s Muse AI agent from shopping on Amazon for users.

What happened

Meta’s Muse is an AI “agent,” meaning it can try to do tasks for you online, like searching for products and checking out (like a helper who clicks buttons for you). According to GeekWire, Amazon has now blocked Muse from shopping on Amazon.

Muse users reportedly started seeing a popup message on Sunday. The message said that “continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon’s Conditions of Use,” which are the rules customers agree to when using Amazon.

GeekWire reported that Meta did not notify Amazon that Muse would access the store. Amazon also raised privacy and security concerns, including that Muse did not properly identify itself while browsing and that it may have captured customer login details.

Meta has said that Muse cannot see secure login details or card payment information. The Verge previously tested Muse and was able to complete an Amazon purchase. Separately, the Verge also noted privacy concerns raised since Muse launched, including reports that Muse may be able to see the contents of user messages even without the needed permission.

Amazon has pushed back against similar shopping tools before. The Verge notes Amazon sued Perplexity last year over its AI shopping features.

Why it matters

AI agents are designed to act on your behalf, but shopping involves sensitive information like passwords, addresses, and payments. If retailers block these tools, people may not be able to use one assistant to shop across different sites. It also signals a bigger fight over who gets to control the online checkout process, the retailer or the third-party tool helping the shopper.

Source: The Verge AI