Amazon blocks Meta's AI Agent Muse AI on its app

Amazon has reportedly blocked Meta's AI agent, Muse, from browsing and purchasing products on Amazon.com for shoppers. This follows failed efforts by Amazon to dissuade Meta, the parent company of Facebook, from utilizing Amazon's services within the AI tool's automated shopping features. In 2023, Amazon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity, expressing concerns and asserting that Amazon does not want to be part of the Comet browser.

Amazon stated that it never authorized the integration and that Meta launched the feature without notice, designed the agent to browse without identifying itself as automated software, and potentially harvests and retains customer credentials. These actions, according to Amazon, pose serious privacy and security risks. By Sunday night, users attempting to use Muse for purchases on Amazon encountered a clear roadblock message: "Continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon's Conditions of Use, to which our customers have agreed."

An Amazon spokesperson emphasized that external platforms should respect commercial boundaries, stating, "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."

Meta has previously denied claims that its agent mismanages sensitive user information, asserting that Muse operates without direct access to user passwords or banking details. Any login information entered by a consumer is stored securely, allowing the model to utilize credentials without directly reading them, even when typed into a browser session.

The conflict highlights a growing divide between two established commercial partners. Since 2023, Amazon has permitted consumers to purchase products directly within Facebook and Instagram feeds. In April, Meta secured a multibillion-dollar deal to utilize Amazon's custom Graviton server chips for running autonomous AI agents. This development exposes a broader battle over which technology company holds ownership over the shopper relationship as automated agents carry out digital commerce on behalf of individuals.