Amazon has blocked Meta’s Muse AI assistant from making purchases on Amazon.com. The move intensifies a dispute over control of online shopping as artificial intelligence starts acting directly for customers.
According to reporting from GeekWire, Amazon stated that Meta did not ask for permission before letting Muse access its marketplace. The retailer also raised concerns that Muse fails to identify itself while browsing and appears to capture and store customer credentials. Amazon tried to convince Meta to pull the feature on its own, but those talks did not settle the matter.
Customers who tried to shop on Amazon through Muse began seeing a warning. It said continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon’s Conditions of Use.
Amazon’s Security and Control Concerns
Amazon maintains that third-party applications buying goods for customers need to operate openly and accept a merchant’s choice about whether to take part. The company notes that Muse can reach account pages and order histories when told to do so. That access could let the assistant handle sensitive details without Amazon’s knowledge or approval.
Meta has said Muse cannot view users’ passwords or payment methods. Credentials stay stored securely so the assistant can apply them without showing the data to the system itself. Meta also states that Muse works inside a secure virtual machine, seeks user confirmation before any sensitive step, and relies on a monitoring agent named Sentinel to clear anything it sends online.
The clash points to a wider issue: should AI agents move through websites the same way people do, or must they stick to approved connections?
Muse and the Rise of Agentic Shopping
Meta released Muse on September 8 as a personal AI agent built for multi-step work across email, calendars, payments, dining, and shopping. Unlike standard chatbots, Muse can open services, search for items, and carry out instructions. The app climbed to the top of free titles on Apple’s US App Store within a week of launch.
Amazon already offers its own AI shopping tools, among them Alexa for Shopping and Buy for Me. Its external shopping feature identifies itself and lets brands choose to stay out.
Amazon has blocked other shopping agents before, including Perplexity’s Comet browser. A recent court decision narrowed Amazon’s options under federal anti-hacking rules, though claims rooted in terms of service can still proceed.
Amazon confirmed it is talking directly with Meta yet declined to discuss any possible legal steps. How the situation ends may shape the rules for AI assistants reaching online stores and the degree of control merchants keep over automated shopping.
FAQ
Why did Amazon block Meta’s Muse AI?
Amazon said Meta never sought permission for Muse to use its marketplace. The company also flagged that Muse does not identify itself during browsing and appears to capture and store customer credentials.
What does Meta say about Muse’s security?
Meta states that Muse cannot see passwords or payment methods. Credentials remain secured, the assistant runs in a virtual machine, seeks confirmation before sensitive moves, and uses a monitoring agent called Sentinel.
Has Amazon blocked other AI shopping tools?
Yes. Amazon has previously acted against other agents, including Perplexity’s Comet browser.