United Airlines said Wednesday it is banning artificial intelligence agents from booking flights on behalf of travelers, citing security risks and possible violations of federal rules, CBS News reported.
Consumers increasingly use AI agents to research products, track down deals and make purchases. To book a flight, those tools need access to a traveler’s personal information, including payment details and account logins.
United said that “sharing account credentials with personal, third-party, AI assistants can expose sensitive information, and actions taken by these tools may result in unintended purchases, account changes, or use of MileagePlus miles.”
The airline also said that using an AI agent to check in for a flight could violate federal regulations, including rules requiring travelers to confirm in person that their luggage does not contain banned items.
“United is taking steps to restrict access — directly within our digital platforms and indirectly via travel agencies and aggregators — to prohibit use by unauthorized, third-party personal AI agents or assistants,” the carrier said. It is updating its booking and ticketing policies to reflect the change.
Sources: CBS News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Northwalker / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
