United Airlines raises concerns that third-party AI agents’ access to personal and financial details exposes sensitive data|Aero Icarus|CC BYSA 2.0
United Airlines announced Wednesday that it would prohibit AI agents from booking flights on behalf of travelers, citing security concerns and the risk of violating federal regulations.
Several flyers are using agents like Meta’s Muse and OpenAI’s dots to track the best flight deals and book tickets. They are sharing account credentials and payment details with the bots to perform the tasks.
United raises concerns that third-party AI agents’ access to personal and financial details exposes sensitive data and can lead to unauthorized purchases, account changes, or improper use of MileagePlus miles.
United also raised concerns about AI agents handling airport procedures such as check-ins, noting that federal rules require travelers to verify that their baggage contains no banned substances personally.
Meanwhile, competitors like Southwest Airlines allow ChatGPT users to view its flight inventory. United is blocking bots while keeping its fares accessible through Kayak, Hopper, and Google Flights.