United Airlines have announced they are blocking third-party AI agents from their platforms, citing concerns over data security.

The carrier say the use of agents to book trips represents a risk to customer information, including MileagePlus loyalty data. Additionally, United argue automated actions could potentially breach regulations laid out by aviation authorities, for example the mandate that flight check-in requires humans to confirm their luggage does not contain any banned materials such as explosives or weapons.

In a press release, United conclude:

As personal AI assistants evolve, United will continue to evaluate how these tools interact with our services, with a focus on protecting our customers.

The airline’s CEO Scott Kirby was more blunt, telling the Wall Street Journal:

To be honest, I don’t want to create another middleman.

Business in retail currently lack a consensus on AI agent access. eCommerce giant Amazon recently announced they were blocking Meta’s new AI agent, called Muse, from making purchases on their platforms, citing similar data security concerns as United. Walmart, on the other hand, have embraced the tech, launching Walmart Agent Gateway so customers can use Muse, ChatGPT, and Gemini to shop on their behalf.

More than a quarter of Muse’s weekly users make purchases over US$200, according to Forbes. Meta — formerly known as Facebook — launched the agent in early September, and within six weeks had attracted 2 million active users.

The aviation industry has dipped its toes into AI retailing, with airlines such as Virgin Atlantic launching dedicated booking plugins within ChatGPT. IATA has found that 49% of customers are now using AI for travel booking and planning.

United’s latest move highlights that nevertheless caution remains in the safety-first aviation industry. Concern around the autonomy of AI agents has risen in recent months, especially since July’s high-profile ‘Hugging Face’ breach, where OpenAI agents went rogue and launched a co-ordinated cyberattack on the Hugging Face platform.

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