United Airlines Blocks AI Agents From Booking Flights—Bucking A Growing Trend

United Airlines on Wednesday announced it would restrict third-party AI bots and agents’ access to its ⁠digital platforms, citing data security for sensitive passenger information and its loyalty program—seeming to buck the growing trend of travel companies working with AI platforms capable of planning and booking trips.Key facts“Sharing account credentials with personal, third-party, AI assistants can expose sensitive information” which “may result in unintended purchases, account changes, or use of MileagePlus miles,” United said in a statement shared with Forbes.In recent years, loyalty rewards accounts have been a particularly lucrative target of cyberhackers, while AI agents are increasingly able to book travel on passengers’ behalf, such as Meta’s Muse and SpaceXAI’s Grok Bot.United said it would restrict access both directly through its digital platforms and indirectly through travel agencies and aggregators, CNBC reported.Large online travel booking platforms such Expedia, Booking and TripAdvisor have been working with ChatGPT-parent OpenAI since last year.European budget airline easyJet integrates flight booking and live flight-status tracking directly into the ChatGPT mobile interface, the carrier’s CEO Kenton Jarvis announced on LinkedIn last month.What other US airlines say about working with AI platformsDelta Air Lines allows AI assistants to complete a booking on behalf of a customer if they can “appropriately authenticate using a customer’s Delta login credentials (SkyMiles number and password),” a spokesperson for the airline told Forbes, noting that “customers are responsible for overseeing actions and authorizing any transactions taken by AI assistants on their behalf.” American Airlines “continues to evaluate” how it will work with AI companies, the carrier told Forbes in a statement, noting “some AI tools are able to facilitate the purchase of American Airlines tickets” while insisting that “protecting our customers and their experience remains our priority.” Southwest Airlines did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.Key backgroundUnited’s statement noted “corporate leaders in the banking and retail industries have taken similar actions” and encouraged “others to consider measures that preserve the data and security of their customers and strengthen safety.” The airline also warned that “automated AI actions have the potential to violate FAA and DOT regulations,” giving the example of flight check-ins that require human acknowledgement that luggage does not contain dangerous items such as explosives.