Elon Musk hints at launching Amazon rival after e-commerce giant blocks his Grok bots

Elon Musk has hinted at the possibility of launching a rival to Amazon after a discussion on X about the e-commerce giant blocking AI bots from shopping on its platform. The billionaire responded to a user's suggestion that he launch an online shopping service of his own by saying that his companies could take on Amazon directly.“Maybe we should start a competitor to Amazon ,” Musk wrote on X.The exchange began after a user claimed that Amazon was blocking Grok bots from placing orders on its website. The user, who said one of their Grok bots was responsible for handling Amazon returns, wondered whether people would switch to another online store if their AI assistants could no longer shop on Amazon.The user then suggested that Musk launch an "X Shop," potentially giving people another place to shop through AI agents. Musk did not share any details about what such a service might look like or whether he was seriously considering launching one. His response, however, comes at a time when online shopping platforms are grappling with a new question that should AI assistants be allowed to browse stores and make purchases on behalf of their users? Amazon takes on AI shopping agentsAmazon has been tightening its restrictions on third-party AI agents that attempt to shop on its website. The company recently confirmed to GeekWire that it had blocked Meta's Muse personal AI agent from shopping on Amazon.com on behalf of customers.According to Amazon, Meta had not informed the e-commerce company that Muse would access its store. Amazon also said the agent did not identify itself while browsing and appeared to capture and store customer credentials, raising concerns about privacy and security. The company said it had tried unsuccessfully to get Meta to voluntarily exclude Amazon from Muse's shopping experience before cutting off the agent's access. Users attempting to shop on Amazon through Muse were shown a message warning that continued access by an unauthorised AI agent violated the platform's Conditions of Use.“We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions about whether or not to participate,” an Amazon spokesperson told GeekWire.Amazon's position suggests that the dispute is about more than just competition. As AI assistants increasingly take on tasks such as finding products, comparing prices and placing orders, retailers want greater control over how these agents access their websites and interact with customers.This is not the first time Musk has floated the idea of taking over a company during a public exchange. In January, after a bitter spat with Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary over the airline's refusal to install Starlink Wi-Fi, Musk joked about buying the airline and putting someone named Ryan in charge. The remark went viral, although there was no indication that he planned to pursue a takeover.- Ends