Amazon asked to be removed from Meta's new Muse AI agent experience, the e-commerce giant told Retail Dive. The Muse agent was launched by Meta earlier this month and it can make purchases on behalf of users.
Amazon was not given advance notice that Muse would access its e-commerce site and did not authorize it.
"We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions about whether or not to participate,” an Amazon spokesperson told Retail Dive. “This helps ensure a safe, secure, and reliable customer experience, and it is how others operate including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery services apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers.”
Meta did not immediately respond to Retail Dive’s request for comment on the matter. Muse can make purchases using Link by Stripe, which includes some protections such as free coverage for damaged or lost items and no-fee returns.
Amazon also sued AI company Perplexity last year after its Comet AI agent was accessing Amazon's e-commerce site to make purchases for users. That lawsuit is still underway, with a U.S. appeals court in August overturning a temporary ruling that barred Perplexity’s shopping tools from accessing the site.
Meta and Perplexity aren’t the only companies trying to make purchases for users on external e-commerce sites — Amazon itself has tried to get in on the strategy.
Amazon received some backlash earlier this year after it began piloting its AI-backed “Buy for Me” functionality. That allowed shoppers to view and purchase products from external sellers who don’t sell merchandise directly through Amazon, with Amazon finalizing the purchase within its platform on behalf of the buyer.
Some businesses took issue with the fact Amazon proactively adds seller listings found across the internet without express permission, giving them the option to opt out after the fact. Amazon confirmed to Retail Dive that sellers must email them to opt out.
