Airline United no longer wants artificial intelligence agents to finalize flight bookings on behalf of its customers. These agents can still display United flights, but they can no longer complete the transaction, according to the Wall Street Journal.
An AI agent is a program capable of performing tasks on the user’s behalf, such as making an online purchase. According to the newspaper, United states it has not yet seen many people attempt to book their flights via this method. The company is observing a trend comparable to that of other companies, like Doordash.
However, United is concerned about several risks. It fears these agents could expose its customers’ information or make purchases travelers did not intend. It also worries they might circumvent federal rules about the information airlines must provide to passengers, such as having them attest that their luggage does not contain explosives.
This decision could limit the usefulness of recent personal AI assistants, like Meta’s Muse or OpenAI’s Dots. The Journal reports the comments of United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, at an event on Tuesday: ‘To be honest, I don’t want to create another middleman.’
A Choice Shared by Other Sectors
In many sectors, companies are questioning the possibility of letting AI agents conduct transactions on their sites. United is not the only one blocking access to unauthorized agents. eBay appeared to prevent agents from browsing its site, and several major banks have also imposed restrictions on them.
United, however, leaves the door open to a change in position. In a statement cited by the Journal, the airline states: ‘As third-party AI agents evolve, we see the opportunities they present. However, allowing them to interact directly with a United account or reservation can involve sensitive actions, and we want to ensure we have protections in place for travelers first.’
