Should Aggregators block AI Agents?

Investing.com -- Online aggregators such as Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN), Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE:UBER) and DoorDash Inc (NASDAQ:DASH) may be justified in blocking external artificial intelligence agents for now, as the technology threatens to disrupt their business models, according to Bernstein analysts.

In an October 23 research note, the analysts said concerns about AI agents displacing established online platforms may be premature, although the technology could fundamentally reshape how consumers search, shop and transact online.

Dominant aggregators have little incentive to accelerate adoption of competing AI services while developing their own AI-powered experiences.

Amazon has already blocked external agents, prioritising its Alexa shopping ecosystem, while JPMorgan and Charles Schwab have restricted third-party agents over liability concerns.

Successful consumer AI adoption will depend heavily on interoperability, reliability and the ability to complete transactions more conveniently than existing platforms.

Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) offers an early example of the technology’s potential.

Its Muse AI assistant reached 2.5 million daily active users in North America within six weeks of launch, while 25% of weekly users had tried agentic shopping.

Average purchases exceeded $200, including travel bookings.

Muse has partnered with companies including Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT), Shopify Inc (NASDAQ:SHOP), Instacart (NASDAQ) and Expedia Inc (NASDAQ:EXPE), allowing users to access shopping and travel services.

The research suggests smaller competitors may benefit from partnering with AI agents to gain market share, while dominant platforms face greater risks of losing direct customer relationships.

However, blocking agents is unlikely to remain sustainable if consumers increasingly favour AI-driven transactions.

Platforms with exclusive inventory, established logistics networks and strong customer relationships may have greater flexibility to delay partnerships.

Ultimately, consumer behaviour will determine whether independent AI agents or platform-specific assistants dominate online commerce.

For now, aggregators can reasonably restrict access while assessing adoption trends and negotiating more favourable partnership arrangements.