Lifestyle
Websites Are Blocking AI Agents: Why New Booking and Shopping Features Often Fail
The Verge and TechCrunch report that Amazon, Yelp, Delta Air Lines and other sites are restricting AI agents that act on users' behalf. Some blocks are deliberate; others are anti-bot checks catching agents by mistake. Here is what each side says and what it means for users.
About 5 min read
What happened
AI agents are AI tools that go online to get things done for you, such as booking flights, reserving restaurants, shopping or sorting an inbox. According to The Verge, users of Meta's Muse, xAI's Grok, OpenAI's Dots and Instinct's agent have reported in recent weeks that their agents were blocked on many popular sites and could not complete tasks. TechCrunch reports that Amazon has begun blocking Meta's Muse from its retail site, so the agent cannot browse or buy products.
Where each site stands
| Site | Reported position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Yelp | Told TechCrunch it only allows AI agents that pay to join its data licensing program | The Verge |
| Delta Air Lines | Has no partnership or integration letting third-party AI agents book tickets for customers; still evaluating | TechCrunch |
| JPMorgan Chase, Charles Schwab | Confirmed they block AI agents from accessing accounts over security concerns | The Verge |
| eBay | Does not ban all third-party shopping agents, but restricts unauthorized agents and behavior such as scraping (automated bulk copying of site content) and model training | TechCrunch |
| Zillow | Allows AI agents acting for consumers, but anti-bot measures may occasionally block some agents | TechCrunch |
| Walmart | Partners with Muse; says the failures were not intentional | TechCrunch |
Deliberate blocks and mistaken blocks
TechCrunch notes that some blocks are deliberate (Amazon, for example), while others come from traditional anti-bot measures. These are mechanisms sites use to identify and stop automated programs, originally to guard against spam and malicious activity. For users, it is often unclear whether a block is something the site operator caused unintentionally.
Take Walmart: TechCrunch reports a Walmart spokesperson said Muse's failure to complete a purchase was not intentional. Users ran into a "verify you are human" button that required a click; if that flow was interrupted, the check could fail and the agent was kicked out. The Verge quotes EquiStamp CEO Chris Canal as saying many of these mechanisms exist to stop bots that try to scam or hack, and AI agents trigger the same defenses.
Legal disputes and industry response
The Verge reports that Amazon banned Perplexity's agentic shopping feature, in which an AI agent shops for the user, last year and sued Perplexity. A judge later ordered Perplexity to stop letting its AI agent shop on Amazon, but an appeals court overturned that ruling in August, and Amazon has since filed an amended complaint.
On the industry side, The Verge reports that Meta has partnered with retailers including Walmart, Gap, Sephora and Best Buy so Muse can shop on their sites, and Shopify has opened its network of storefronts to AI agents. TechCrunch reports that Meta, Walmart, Stripe, Sierra, Genesys, Rocket, NiCE and Decagon have begun drafting an open standard for how AI agents communicate with businesses. In a blog post, Meta said the protocol will focus on agent-to-agent communication in online commerce, meaning a user's AI agent talking directly with a business's AI system.
Meta said: "Turning away a personal agent means turning away the customer behind it." Meta added that it would rather work with businesses to address their concerns than see them lose those customers.
What it means for ordinary users
The Verge quotes Canal as saying that if more sites adopt interfaces that confirm "you're not a robot," the web will become more "annoying" to use. TechCrunch also notes that users often cannot tell whether a failure is a deliberate block or an accident, leaving them frustrated with both the service provider and the agent.
Frequently asked questions
Which AI agents have been reported as blocked?
The Verge says users of Meta's Muse, xAI's Grok, OpenAI's Dots and Instinct's agent reported blocks; TechCrunch uses Muse, Instinct and Dots as examples.
Are sites always blocking AI agents on purpose?
Not necessarily. TechCrunch says some blocks are deliberate, such as Amazon's, while others come from ordinary anti-bot measures. A Walmart spokesperson said Muse's purchase failure was not intentional.
What is Yelp's rule for AI agents?
Yelp told TechCrunch it does not allow non-human traffic unless the agent has paid to join its data licensing program.
Is the industry working on a fix?
TechCrunch reports that Meta, Walmart, Stripe and other partners have begun drafting an open standard governing how AI agents communicate with businesses.
How did the Amazon v. Perplexity case turn out?
The Verge reports a judge ordered Perplexity to stop letting its AI agent shop on Amazon, but an appeals court overturned that ruling in August, and Amazon has since filed an amended complaint.
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