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United Airlines restricts AI agents from booking flights for customers

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 8 outlets across the spectrum.

8 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Hands holding a tablet displaying the United Airlines logo in a blurred cafe setting
Image via CBS NewsHow images are chosenReport this image

United Airlines said Wednesday it is restricting artificial intelligence agents from its digital platforms, citing security risks. The airline said third-party AI assistants with access to account credentials could expose sensitive personal information, lead to unintended purchases or cause unauthorized account activity. CBS News and Breitbart report that United also says automated agents cannot meet federal rules. CNBC reports the move follows Amazon's recent block on Meta's Muse agent from making purchases on its site. The New York Post reports that Meta shares fell Wednesday on the news.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. United Airlines said it is restricting AI agents and assistants from booking flights on its digital platforms.

    Across the spectrumReported byFar Left1Left2Center2Right1Far Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Boston Globe
    Left
    ABC News, CBS News
    Center
    CNBC, Scripps News
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times, Breitbart News

  2. United said third-party AI assistants with account credentials could expose sensitive personal information or cause unintended purchases and unauthorized account activity.

    Reported byLeft1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    ABC News
    Center
    CNBC

  3. United said automated agents cannot satisfy federal rules.

    Reported byLeft1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    CBS News
    Far Right
    Breitbart News

  4. CNBC reports that Amazon recently blocked Meta's Muse agent from making purchases on its site.

    One outletCNBC· Center

  5. The New York Post reports that Meta shares fell Wednesday after the announcement.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All three sides report that United is restricting or blocking AI agents from booking flights for customers and cite security or privacy risks. The main difference is emphasis: the New York Post leads on Meta's share drop, while the center stresses the Amazon precedent and expert advice.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Left-side headlines state the move as a flat ban or block on AI agents booking for travelers, with CBS tying it to security risks and federal rules.

    United bans AI agents from booking flights on behalf of travelers
    CBS NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center headlines frame the move as a block on AI assistants from booking flights, and CNBC pairs it with advice that people keep important decisions with a human.

    United Airlines blocks AI assistants from booking flights
    Scripps NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    3 outlets

    Right-side headlines say United blocks or bans AI agents, with Breitbart stressing data privacy and the New York Post stressing the market effect on Meta.

    United Airlines Blocks AI Agents from Booking Flights for Humans
    Breitbart NewsFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right2

    nixingrankled

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    nixingMore neutral: ending

    The verb “nixing” adds a judgement about the airline’s decision beyond the report that it blocks the use case.

    …is banning artificial intelligence agents from booking flights for travelers – nixing a highly touted use case for the tech giant’s new Muse agent.

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    rankledMore neutral: concerned

    The verb “rankled” describes the airline’s feeling in an emotive way, where a plain statement of concern would report the same fact.

    The airline said it was rankled by the idea that AI agents require access to a customer’s personal information,…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • security risks
  • booking on behalf of travelers
  • federal rules

Leaves out

  • Meta share decline
  • Amazon's block of Meta's Muse agent

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines
  • ABC NewsLeft

    WATCH: United Airlines banning AI bots from booking flights

    The airline says customers who give their personal and credit card information to AI businesses run the risk of having their sensitive data exposed.

    Read at ABC News (opens in a new tab)
  • The Boston GlobeFar Left

    United Airlines blocks AI agents from booking flights on customers’ behalf

    United Airlines is banning artificial intelligence agents acting as personal assistants from access to user accounts and from booking its flights, citing privacy concerns and other potential disruptions or violations if humans are not involved, the company announced on …

    Read at The Boston Globe (opens in a new tab)
  • CBS NewsLeft

    United bans AI agents from booking flights on behalf of travelers

    Using an artificial intelligence agent to make flight reservations poses security risks and could violate federal rules, according to United.

    Read at CBS News (opens in a new tab)

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • AI assistants and agents
  • Amazon precedent
  • expert advice to users

Leaves out

  • Meta share decline

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • CNBCCenter

    United Airlines won’t let AI agents book your flight. Expert says you shouldn't let a bot do that for you, anyway

    AI agents can save you time, but an expert says decisions involving your health, wealth and privacy still need human input.

    Read at CNBC (opens in a new tab)
  • Scripps NewsCenter

    United Airlines blocks AI assistants from booking flights

    United Airlines has announced that it won't allow AI assistants to book tickets on behalf of travelers. The airline said these bots, like Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots, can "expose sensitive information, and actions taken by these tools may result in unintended purchases, …

    Read at Scripps News (opens in a new tab)

From the right

3 outlets

Leads with

  • data privacy risks
  • federal rules
  • Meta share drop

Leaves out

  • Amazon's block of Meta's Muse agent

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 3 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    United Airlines Moves to Ban Use of AI Agents in Booking Flights for Customers

    The rule change comes after multiple AI companies released models that can search for deals and make purchases on behalf of customers.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    United Airlines Blocks AI Agents from Booking Flights for Humans

    United Airlines said Wednesday it will stop personal AI assistants and agents from completing ticket bookings on its systems, citing data privacy risks and federal rules the airline says automated agents cannot satisfy.

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    United Airlines bars AI agents from booking tickets, sending Meta shares tumbling

    Shares of Meta tumbled Wednesday on news United Airlines is banning artificial intelligence agents from booking flights for travelers – Loaded verb“nixing”The verb “nixing” adds a judgement about the airline’s decision beyond the report that it blocks the use case.More neutral: endingDisagree with this highlight? a highly touted use case for the tech giant’s new Muse agent.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    CBS News, Nov 11, 2:37 PM EST

  • Center

    20 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 2:57 PM EST

  • Right

    4 hr 42 min later

    Its first report, Nov 11, 7:19 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. CBS NewsLeftNov 11, 2:37 PM EST
  2. Scripps NewsCenterNov 11, 2:57 PM EST
  3. The Boston GlobeFar LeftNov 11, 6:55 PM EST
  4. New York PostRightNov 11, 7:19 PM EST
  5. ABC NewsLeftNov 12, 10:28 AM EST
  6. Breitbart NewsFar RightNov 12, 12:28 PM EST
  7. CNBCCenterNov 12, 3:24 PM EST
  8. The Epoch TimesFar RightNov 12, 4:38 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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