Websites block AI agents from booking, shopping, and banking
Major websites are increasingly blocking autonomous AI agents, limiting their ability to perform tasks like booking flights or shopping. Yelp told TechCrunch it only allows agents that pay for data licensing, while Delta Air Lines prevents agents from booking tickets. JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab confirmed they are blocking agent access due to security concerns. Users have also reported…
Key points
- Yelp, Delta, JPMorgan Chase, and Charles Schwab are blocking AI agents from accessing their services.
- Amazon banned Perplexity’s agentic shopping feature and claims Meta’s Muse violates its site policies.
- Meta partnered with Walmart, Gap, Sephora, and Best Buy to allow its Muse agent to shop on their sites.
This friction follows Amazon’s legal battle with Perplexity, which banned its agentic shopping feature. Although an appeals court overturned a judge’s order to stop Perplexity’s agents, Amazon filed an amended complaint. Amazon also stated that Meta’s Muse violates its site policies, and reports indicate xAI’s Grok and OpenAI’s Dots face similar barriers on the platform. Elon Musk responded by suggesting he might start a competitor to Amazon.
Meta argues that blocking agents means turning away customers and has partnered with retailers like Walmart, Gap, Sephora, and Best Buy to allow Muse to shop. Shopify has also opened its network to AI agents. However, anti-bot systems from providers like Cloudflare are causing issues, with some users reporting checkout problems even on partnered sites. Experts warn that as these blocks spread, the web may become more difficult to use for humans due to increased verification hurdles.
Model page: Muse →
The story so far
8 episodes →- Websites block AI agents from booking, shopping, and bankingthis story
Websites are closing their doors to AI agents
The Verge AI · 17 October 2026
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