Key Takeaways:
- Amazon blocked Meta’s Muse AI agent over unauthorized platform access and data privacy concerns.
- Shopify partnered with Meta to allow Muse agentic checkout through Shop Pay across its merchants.
- The conflict highlights growing tension over who controls autonomous AI-driven customer shopping data.
Amazon blocks the Meta Muse AI agent from shopping on its platform, citing unauthorized access and customer data concerns as AI-driven commerce grows.
Amazon cites security and commercial concerns
Amazon says Meta did not obtain permission before Muse accessed its retail platform. The company also alleges that the agent does not identify itself while browsing and may access customer account information, including order history.
An Amazon spokesperson said third-party applications that purchase products for customers should operate openly and respect service providers’ participation decisions. The company compared the approach to food delivery and travel-booking services, which typically operate through agreements with businesses.
Meta has disputed concerns about its handling of sensitive information. The company says Meta Muse AI cannot see users’ passwords or payment details, with credentials stored securely for authentication. Amazon and Meta did not immediately respond to Forbes’ requests for comment, according to the report.
Amazon protects its advertising and shopping ecosystem
The dispute extends beyond website access and purchase permissions. Amazon generated about $68 billion in advertising revenue in the previous year, according to Forbes, creating a commercial interest in maintaining control over the browsing experience and sponsored product exposure.
AI shopping agents can change how customers search for products, compare options and complete purchases. Forbes reports that 42% of consumers surveyed said they had used an AI tool while shopping during the previous month, while 5% said they had used a fully autonomous AI agent to place an order.
Amazon has previously taken action against other automated shopping tools. The company sued Perplexity over its Comet browser and AI shopping agent and has restricted bots associated with OpenAI, Google and Anthropic from crawling its website.
Shopify opens its stores to Meta’s muse
Shopify is taking a different approach to AI-assisted commerce. The company’s CEO, Tobi Lütke, said Shopify would partner with Meta to enable agentic checkout through Shop Pay across Shopify stores for Meta Muse AI.
The contrasting approaches highlight a developing dispute over how AI agents interact with online marketplaces. Retailers must weigh customer convenience, data access, security responsibilities and control over commercial relationships as automated purchasing expands.
The adoption of autonomous shopping remains at an early stage, but the dispute between Amazon and Meta demonstrates the challenges facing businesses that want to use AI agents across third-party platforms. The outcome could influence how retailers set access rules and how consumers complete online purchases in the future.
