Amazon Sues Perplexity, Blocks Meta's Muse as Retailers Resist AI Shopping Agents
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Oct 22
Amazon Sues Perplexity, Blocks Meta's Muse as Retailers Resist AI Shopping Agents
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Oct 22
Summary
Amazon has moved most aggressively against AI shopping bots, suing Perplexity after saying it ignored requests to stop shopping on the site and later blocking Meta's Muse agent.
Retailers and service providers say the agents can threaten customer data and the shopping experience; JPMorgan won't allow outside agents into accounts, and some users report booking failures with Delta and Amtrak.
Even where no blanket ban exists, bot-detection systems make agent access inconsistent, leaving tools like Muse unable to verify Amazon prices and often requiring repeated prompts to complete basic searches.
The RealReal still allows third-party agents with safeguards, but a test showed how an agent could keep 10 new items locked in a cart on rolling 20-minute holds, highlighting how automation could distort shopping for others.
The clash points to a broader fight over who controls online commerce: AI firms want agents to transact across the web, while platforms increasingly insist those bots participate only on the platform's terms.