Amazon blocks Meta’s Muse AI agent from its retail site

Amazon has prohibited Meta Platforms Inc.'s new artificial intelligence agent, Muse, from its retail website following Meta's refusal to remove the bot. Muse, introduced earlier this month, aims to assist users with common online tasks like shopping and booking appointments. However, Amazon prohibits third-party applications from making purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses.

The company initiated the blockage on Sunday evening, according to a spokesperson. When using Muse, shoppers encounter multiple pop-up messages stating that its usage contravenes Amazon's terms of use.

Amazon's spokesperson Lara Hendrickson stated that agentic third-party applications such as Muse must respect service provider decisions regarding participation. The company has requested that Meta remove Amazon from Muse's experience, emphasizing that opt-in requirements are standard for food delivery apps and online travel agencies.

Amazon has its own automated shopping tools but has been actively preventing rivals' bots from browsing and making purchases from its catalog. Earlier this year, Amazon sued Perplexity AI Inc., accusing the AI startup of concealing its shopping agents after Amazon requested their removal.

Consumers have primarily been using bots for product research rather than actual purchases. Consequently, Amazon's restriction on shopping agents accessing its site may not significantly impact its business. However, if consumers start employing AI agents for purchases, these bots could target other e-commerce sites, potentially leading to revenue losses for Amazon in terms of sales and advertising.

In April, Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy expressed that the agentic shopping experience needs improvement, noting that bots often provide incorrect pricing or other data. The company is currently engaged in discussions with various entities to enhance the agentic shopping experience and ensure it benefits customers and businesses alike.