United Airlines has drawn a hard line against personal AI assistants. The carrier says it will not let third-party agents complete flight bookings on its website or app. Company officials point to privacy risks and federal compliance rules as the main reasons for the block.
The airline told The Verge and The Wall Street Journal that few travelers have actually tried this yet. That matches what other businesses, including DoorDash, have reported so far. Still, United wants guardrails in place before the behavior becomes common.
Safety rules do not fit inside an agent
Two concerns sit behind the decision. The first is customer data. An agent that logs into a United account could expose personal details, payment methods, or travel history to a third party. The second is regulatory. Airlines must collect specific attestations from passengers, including confirmation that checked bags contain no explosives. An AI assistant cannot reliably provide that kind of legal declaration.
United also worries about unintended purchases. A traveler might ask an agent to compare fares, then find a ticket bought without clear approval. Agents can still display United flights and prices. They simply cannot finish the transaction.
“To be honest, I don’t want to create another middleman,” CEO Scott Kirby said at an event on Tuesday, according to the Journal. His comment frames the dispute as a business question, not only a technical one.
Other companies are closing the same door
United is not alone. eBay has blocked outside agents from browsing its marketplace. Several major banks have placed similar limits on automated account access. The pattern suggests a broader fight over who controls the checkout page when software shops on a person’s behalf.
The restriction could blunt the appeal of new personal assistants such as Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s Dots. Those products promise to handle errands end to end, and travel is one of the most obvious use cases.
United left room to change course. A spokesperson said the airline sees opportunities as third-party agents improve, but wants protections for travelers first. For now, the booking button stays human-only.
Read more on how OpenAI is rolling out verified business agents for brands on our site.
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