Websites are shutting out AI bots.
Autonomous agents are the latest buzz in the AI scene. Various tech giants are touting their agents’ ability to navigate the internet for you, handling tasks like making dinner reservations, managing your inbox, or even shopping for new kicks. But what happens when the broader internet isn’t so cooperative?
Recently, users of platforms like Muse, Grok, Dots, and Instinct have encountered blocks that prevent their AI agents from completing tasks on major websites. For instance, Yelp has stated that it only permits AI agents that subscribe to its data licensing program, while Delta Air Lines has restricted agents from booking tickets. Financial institutions like JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab have also confirmed that they’re blocking AI agents from accessing user accounts due to security issues. Some users have noted that sites that once worked with their AI agents, such as Cars.com and Amtrak, are now off-limits, hinting that other companies might be quietly implementing similar restrictions.
Last year, Amazon was already pushing back against AI agents when it banned Perplexity’s shopping feature and took legal action against the startup, raising questions about the future of AI agents online. Amazon claimed it had repeatedly asked Perplexity to stop allowing its agents to shop on its platform, emphasizing that third-party services purchasing items on behalf of customers should respect the decisions of service providers.
Perplexity countered by suggesting that Amazon’s resistance stems from a desire to maintain human traffic for its ads, which is a significant concern for the retail giant. The AI startup argued that its agent functions as an extension of the user, asserting that Amazon doesn’t support the idea of users hiring assistance to act on their behalf. Although a judge initially ruled against Perplexity, an appeals court later overturned that decision in August, leading Amazon to file an amended complaint.
Despite this ongoing legal tussle, OpenAI, Meta, and Google have continued to launch their own agents, facing similar challenges as Perplexity. Muse, Meta’s charming AI assistant, recently drew Amazon’s ire, which claimed its “continued access” breaches site policies. Reports indicate that Grok, Instinct’s AI, and Dots are also struggling to access Amazon. In response, Elon Musk suggested he might consider launching a rival to Amazon. The more sites that restrict access, the more questions arise about the practical utility of these agents.
Chris Canal, CEO of the AI safety evaluator EquiStamp, noted that these restrictions could diminish the perceived value of companies like Anthropics and OpenAI. He pointed out that if certain companies actively work to limit the capabilities of AI agents, it reduces the range of tasks these agents can perform online.
In response to the challenges faced by Muse, Meta stated that blocking personal agents means losing the customers behind them. The company expressed a preference for collaborating with businesses to address concerns rather than facing outright bans. Instead of clashing with Amazon, Meta has partnered with retailers like Walmart, Gap, Sephora, and Best Buy, allowing Muse to shop on their platforms. Shopify has also opened its storefronts to AI agents.
Requests for comments from OpenAI and Google regarding the obstacles their agents are encountering went unanswered, while Instinct chose not to comment.
Even when websites aren’t outright banning AI agents, they may still be clashing with anti-bot systems that are now commonplace online. Reports on Reddit indicate that Google is blocking some accounts using Muse due to “suspicious activity,” and others have faced issues checking out at Walmart despite its partnership with Meta. Canal noted that many systems are designed to block not just agents but any bots or programs that could be attempting to scam or hack, and AI agents often trigger these safeguards.
Cloudflare, a web architecture provider, has also contributed to restricting unwanted AI traffic. After introducing a one-click block for AI crawlers in 2025, Cloudflare began preventing crawlers that scrape websites for both search indexing and AI training. This initiative aims to protect the web from an influx of AI bots, which strain internet infrastructure and clutter email inboxes, potentially complicating tasks like purchasing concert tickets or making reservations.
While these blocks may keep some AI agents at bay, Canal warns that they could ultimately make the web more frustrating to navigate, as more sites implement measures to verify users aren’t bots. “We could see them on a simple grocery shopping website soon, where you’re having to jump through a bunch of hoops to prove that you’re a human using the computer or your phone.”
