Autonomous AI agents promised by OpenAI, Meta, Google, and others are encountering significant barriers across the web. According to The Verge, users of services like Meta’s Muse, xAI’s Grok, OpenAI’s Dots, and Instinct have reported blocks preventing their AI agents from performing tasks on popular websites.
Several major companies have explicitly blocked AI agents. Yelp told TechCrunch it only allows AI agents that pay for its data licensing program. Delta Air Lines is preventing agents from booking tickets on behalf of users, while JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab are blocking agent access to accounts due to security concerns. Some users report that previously accessible sites, including Cars.com and Amtrak, are no longer available to their AI agents, suggesting quiet blocking efforts across the industry.
Amazon has been particularly aggressive. The company banned Perplexity’s agentic shopping feature and sued the startup, though an appeals court later overturned an injunction. Amazon more recently targeted Meta’s Muse, saying its “continued access” violates site policies. Reports indicate xAI’s Grok and OpenAI’s Dots have also been unable to use Amazon.
Companies defend their blocking decisions on multiple grounds. Amazon and others frame it as a security issue and a matter of respecting service provider autonomy. Perplexity argued that Amazon’s real concern is avoiding lost ad revenue—human shoppers generate more advertising impressions than automated agents. Meta has responded by emphasizing customer interests, stating “turning away a personal agent means turning away the customer behind it.”
Instead of fighting restrictions, Meta has partnered with retailers including Walmart, Gap, Sephora, and Best Buy to allow Muse shopping access. Shopify has also opened its storefronts to AI agents.
Beyond explicit bans, AI agents are triggering existing anti-bot systems designed to combat fraud and hacking. Reports suggest Google is blocking accounts using Muse due to “suspicious activity,” and some users report checkout issues on Walmart despite its Meta partnership. According to Chris Canal, CEO of AI safety evaluator EquiStamp, these safeguards are catching AI agents unintentionally.
Cloudflare introduced one-click AI crawler blocking in 2025 and began blocking crawlers that simultaneously scrape for search indexing and AI training. Canal warns that escalating blocks will make the web “annoying” for all users, potentially requiring humanity-verification interfaces on everyday websites like grocery stores.
Key facts
- Yelp, Delta Air Lines, JPMorgan Chase, and Charles Schwab have all blocked AI agents
- Amazon has sued Perplexity and is blocking Meta’s Muse and other agents from shopping
- Meta has partnered with Walmart, Gap, Sephora, Best Buy, and Shopify instead of fighting restrictions
- AI agents are being caught by existing anti-bot systems designed to prevent fraud
- Cloudflare introduced one-click AI crawler blocking in 2025