United Airlines Joins a New Club

I know, the title is meant to be click bait. But they did join it and more companies are doing so.

United is blocking AI agents from booking flights!

Why? They say due to cybersecurity risks. They are going to restrict access to AI agents seeking to book flights and manage reservations on users’ behalf. They claim it also undermines federal regulations.

United warned that sharing your credentials with personal, third-party AI assistants can expose sensitive information, result in unintended purchases, account changes and use of Mileage Plus miles. All of that is true.

They have not gone as far as the financial services firms who are saying that if you do use an AI agent to access your finances, you are responsible for the financial results, whatever that may be. Those folks will not be refunding your money.

To be clear, federal and state laws do not give you any out if your AI does something that you didn’t intend. The banks are saying, your credentials, your responsibility.

There are also federal regulations that require a human to do certain things like check in for a flight, so if you get your agent to do that for you, you could actually get in trouble with the feds.

While they have not said exactly – and probably won’t – what the specific checks they are going to put in place are, expect changes to your user experience to thwart your favorite AI.

And it is a good time to remind you. If your AI books you a ticket to fly that you did not intend to, there is zero requirement on the part of the airlines to give you back your money.

Consider yourself warned.

Credit: Tech Crunch

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