Muse hits a wall at Amazon

Meta's Muse AI assistant is being blocked from Amazon's marketplace. Users see a warning that continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon's conditions of use.

“continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates the retailer's conditions of use”

What Muse does differently

Unlike chatbots that answer questions, AI agents like Muse are designed to take actions on a user's behalf, including making purchases. This is what sets them apart from traditional assistants.

Amazon's specific complaints

Amazon says Muse accessed its store without authorization or advance notice. The company claims Muse does not identify itself, appears to capture and store customer credentials, and scrapes account data.

Amazon's rules for agents

Amazon expects third-party agents to operate transparently, allow retailers to opt out, and offer mutual value exchange. It says agents can bypass Amazon's personalization, showing users products that do not reflect their history.

“Third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions”

Meta's defense on security

Meta says Muse cannot see users' passwords or payment details. The company says credentials are stored securely, allowing the agent to use them without viewing them. Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Amazon's broader AI fight

Amazon has been blocking third-party agents for some time. It sued Perplexity over shopping through its Comet browser and has moved to restrict agents from Google and OpenAI. But Amazon's advertising partnership with OpenAI suggests companies may need to find a way forward.