Should your website let customers' AI agents in?
Big names like Yelp, Delta and Amazon are turning AI agents away, while Shopify and some retailers welcome them. Here is how to decide for your own site.
What happened
The Verge reports that AI agents are running into closed doors across the web. An AI agent is software that can take steps on its own for you, like booking a dinner reservation or buying a pair of shoes. Users of agents from Meta, xAI, OpenAI and Instinct say they have been blocked on top websites.
The Verge writes that Yelp told TechCrunch it only allows agents that pay for its data licensing program, while Delta Air Lines is preventing them from booking tickets. It adds that JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab have confirmed they block agents from accounts over security concerns. Amazon banned Perplexity's shopping agent last year and sued the company. Perplexity responded by arguing that Amazon doesn't want agents on its site because it won't get as many human eyeballs in front of its ads.
Not everyone is shutting the door. The Verge says Meta has partnered with Walmart, Gap, Sephora and Best Buy so its agent can shop there, and Shopify has opened its network of storefronts to agents.
Why it matters
Meta put the issue this way in a post, as The Verge quotes it: "Turning away a personal agent means turning away the customer behind it." As more people hand shopping and booking chores to agents, a blocked agent may mean a lost sale you never see.
The tricky part is that you might be blocking agents without choosing to. The Verge notes that anti-bot tools are everywhere on the web. Chris Canal of the AI safety evaluator EquiStamp told the outlet that many safeguards exist "to block in general bots or programs that are trying to scam or hack," and agents trigger them too. The report also says Cloudflare, a company that runs website infrastructure, introduced a one-click block for AI crawlers in 2025.
Blocking has real reasons, like security, fraud and data rights. The point is that it should be a decision, not an accident.
What it means for your business
- Restaurants and salons: If customers ask an assistant to book a table or an appointment, a security setting on your booking page could quietly turn it away.
- Retail and e-commerce shops: The Verge reports that Shopify has opened its network of storefronts to AI agents. Check whether your own platform has a setting for agents.
- Clinics and businesses with customer accounts: The Verge notes that JPMorgan Chase and Charles Schwab confirmed they block agents from accounts over security concerns. If you handle private records, blocking may be the right call for you too.
- Travel, hospitality and local services: Bookings and quote requests are the kind of chores people may want to hand to an assistant. Decide whether you want that traffic.
One thing to try this week
Ask whoever manages your website, or your hosting company, one question: "What do we block by default, and does that include AI agents?" Look at any security or bot-protection settings, like a one-click AI block. Then write down whether you want agents booking or buying, and which ones, so the setting matches your decision.