Does Amazon allow AI shopping agents to buy on its site?

No. Amazon blocked Meta's Muse from shopping Amazon.com in September 2026 and prohibits other companies from deploying automated tools to shop its store.

What did Bank of America say about Walmart?

A note published October 19, 2026 by analysts led by Christopher Nardone said Walmart stands to gain if shoppers hand purchases to AI agents, citing its AI partnerships, its own assistant Sparky and its work with Muse.

Do AI agents drive many sales today?

Not many yet. Yahoo Finance reports that most people use AI tools to research products rather than to complete the purchase.

What should Amazon sellers do?

Keep listings complete and accurate for Rufus inside Amazon, and if you also sell on Walmart, treat its catalog as one that outside AI agents can read and buy from.

AI & Technology

Amazon blocks AI shopping agents while Walmart opens up - sellers

Amazon blocks outside AI shopping agents like Meta's Muse, while Walmart partners with them. A Bank of America note says Walmart could gain. What it means for sellers.

AntoineCEO at Nova Analytics

Oct 21, 2026 · 3 min read · 585 words

Summarize with AI

Claude Gemini ChatGPT

On this page

Amazon and Walmart are taking opposite sides on AI shopping agents. Amazon blocks them, Walmart works with them, and a Bank of America note published on October 19, 2026 argues Walmart could gain if more shoppers let an agent do the buying, Yahoo Finance reports.

What happened

Analysts led by Christopher Nardone point to three things: Walmart's links with several AI ecosystems, its own assistant Sparky, and its partnership with Meta's Muse agent. Best Buy and Ulta also work with Muse. Walmart's US CEO has said Sparky drives 40% higher average order values, according to Retail Dive.

Amazon went the other way. In September it cut Muse off from shopping Amazon.com, showing users a popup that "continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon's Conditions of Use," as The Verge reported. It prohibits other companies from deploying automated tools to shop its store, and it fought Perplexity's Comet on similar grounds.

Two strategies side by side

Topic	Amazon	Walmart
Outside AI agents buying on the site	Blocked (Muse cut off in September)	Partners, including Muse
Own shopping assistant	Rufus	Sparky
What the shopper's agent sees	Amazon's own surfaces	Walmart's catalog through several AI ecosystems

Why it matters for sellers

For now the sales impact is small: most people use AI tools to research, not to pay. But the split decides who stands between you and the shopper. On Amazon, that is still Amazon, and Rufus is the agent that reads your listing. On Walmart, it can be an outside agent comparing your offer with others. Bank of America also notes it is unclear what happens to advertising if agents do the checking out, which matters to anyone paying for sponsored placements on either site.

What to check this quarter

Titles, bullets and attributes that answer the questions shoppers ask Rufus
Complete item specifics on Walmart, since outside agents read structured data first
Consistent prices across channels, so an agent comparing them does not drop you
Stock levels on Walmart during Q4, when an agent may buy without a human checking

Where Nova fits

Agents work in the other direction too. Nova connects your own Amazon data to Claude and other AI assistants, so you can ask about your sales and margins in plain words. See Nova MCP.

Verified Sources

All information verified from official Amazon sources and trusted industry analysts as of publication date.

About the Author

Antoine

CEO at Nova Analytics

Antoine founded Nova Analytics to empower Amazon sellers with enterprise-grade analytics. He specializes in data architecture and building scalable solutions for e-commerce businesses.

Connect on LinkedIn

See your Amazon business clearly.

Try for free Explore pricing

What happened

Two strategies side by side

Topic	Amazon	Walmart
Outside AI agents buying on the site	Blocked (Muse cut off in September)	Partners, including Muse
Own shopping assistant	Rufus	Sparky
What the shopper's agent sees	Amazon's own surfaces	Walmart's catalog through several AI ecosystems

Why it matters for sellers

What to check this quarter

Titles, bullets and attributes that answer the questions shoppers ask Rufus
Complete item specifics on Walmart, since outside agents read structured data first
Consistent prices across channels, so an agent comparing them does not drop you
Stock levels on Walmart during Q4, when an agent may buy without a human checking

Where Nova fits

Agents work in the other direction too. Nova connects your own Amazon data to Claude and other AI assistants, so you can ask about your sales and margins in plain words. See Nova MCP.

Amazon blocks AI shopping agents while Walmart opens up - sellers

What happened

Two strategies side by side

Why it matters for sellers

What to check this quarter

Where Nova fits

Verified Sources

Antoine

See your Amazon business clearly.

What happened

Two strategies side by side

Why it matters for sellers

What to check this quarter

Where Nova fits

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Amazon allow AI shopping agents to buy on its site?

What did Bank of America say about Walmart?

Do AI agents drive many sales today?

What should Amazon sellers do?

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Amazon allow AI shopping agents to buy on its site?

What did Bank of America say about Walmart?

Do AI agents drive many sales today?

What should Amazon sellers do?