13:42Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
United Airlines: AI Will Find Flights but Won’t Be Able to Buy Tickets
United Airlines is restricting AI assistants that the company has not authorized from buying airline tickets on behalf of passengers. To do so, it is updating its reservation, ticketing, and distribution rules. The ban applies to the airline’s website, travel agencies, and flight comparison platforms. Assistants capable of carrying out transactions on behalf of users, such as OpenAI’s Dots and Meta’s Muse, are also included.
United Airlines cites the security of account and payment information as the main risk. An AI tool could expose sensitive information or make purchases the user did not want. It could also change a reservation and spend MileagePlus rewards. According to the company, not many people have tried to buy tickets this way so far. Nevertheless, it does not want to give such tools access to accounts before safeguards are put in place. Another reason for the restriction is U.S. aviation regulations. For example, during check-in, passengers must confirm that their baggage does not contain explosives. United Airlines believes that allowing an AI assistant to complete this step automatically could violate Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation requirements. The company is also concerned that these tools could fail to provide passengers with important information that must be shown to them. AI assistants will be able to show flight options and fares for United Airlines, but they will not be able to complete payment and buy a ticket. CEO Scott Kirby has said he does not want a new intermediary between passengers and the airline. He prefers to maintain a direct relationship with customers. The company may change its decision as the technology develops, but it first wants systems to be developed that protect sensitive transactions.
Other companies are taking different approaches to the issue. Amazon, eBay, and several major banks have restricted unauthorized AI assistants. Delta, however, allows reservations to be made with approved assistants under additional security measures. Reports differ on whether the integration between Southwest and ChatGPT covers only flight searches or ticket reservations as well. The Muse assistant’s publication of a user’s address online has further heightened security concerns. Shopping through AI assistants is not yet widespread. Uber recorded 320 million rides and deliveries during Halloween week. AI assistants accounted for 500 Uber Eats orders and just 4 rides. These figures show that people are still cautious about entrusting their payment information to such tools. Airlines are also making different choices between convenience and security.
United Airlines cites the security of account and payment information as the main risk. An AI tool could expose sensitive information or make purchases the user did not want. It could also change a reservation and spend MileagePlus rewards. According to the company, not many people have tried to buy tickets this way so far. Nevertheless, it does not want to give such tools access to accounts before safeguards are put in place. Another reason for the restriction is U.S. aviation regulations. For example, during check-in, passengers must confirm that their baggage does not contain explosives. United Airlines believes that allowing an AI assistant to complete this step automatically could violate Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation requirements. The company is also concerned that these tools could fail to provide passengers with important information that must be shown to them. AI assistants will be able to show flight options and fares for United Airlines, but they will not be able to complete payment and buy a ticket. CEO Scott Kirby has said he does not want a new intermediary between passengers and the airline. He prefers to maintain a direct relationship with customers. The company may change its decision as the technology develops, but it first wants systems to be developed that protect sensitive transactions. Other companies are taking different approaches to the issue. Amazon, eBay, and several major banks have restricted unauthorized AI assistants. Delta, however, allows reservations to be made with approved assistants under additional security measures. Reports differ on whether the integration between Southwest and ChatGPT covers only flight searches or ticket reservations as well. The Muse assistant’s publication of a user’s address online has further heightened security concerns. Shopping through AI assistants is not yet widespread. Uber recorded 320 million rides and deliveries during Halloween week. AI assistants accounted for 500 Uber Eats orders and just 4 rides. These figures show that people are still cautious about entrusting their payment information to such tools. Airlines are also making different choices between convenience and security.