The agreement prohibits unauthorized automated or AI-agent access to the platform, requires all authorized automated systems to use only Instacart-provided interfaces and to identify themselves in HTTP user-agent strings, and holds users accountable for all actions taken by automated systems operating on their behalf.
This analysis describes what Instacart's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision establishes that users bear full legal responsibility for automated systems and AI agents acting on their behalf, including sub-agents and downstream processes, and requires technical identification mechanisms (user-agent string disclosure) as a condition of authorized automated access. The provision also explicitly prohibits use of platform data or outputs to build competing AI products or train competing machine-learning models.
Under this provision, users who connect third-party automation tools or AI agents to their Instacart accounts assume responsibility for all actions those systems take, including content submitted and orders placed. Unauthorized automated access, including agentic browsing of Instacart pages, is prohibited even where robots.txt permissions exist for search engine crawlers.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Automated Systems and AI Agent Governance and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"You may not authorize, permit, enable, deploy, delegate to, or otherwise cause any Automated System to access or operate the Services through your account unless Instacart has expressly authorized that access. Any authorized Automated System may access or operate the Services only through Instacart-provided interfaces, tokens, and scopes, and only for the specific actions and purposes Instacart expressly permits. ... You must ensure that any Automated System that interacts with the Services, or with Instacart, any Retailer, Third-Party Provider, or their respective personnel on your behalf: Clearly identifies itself as an automated system and does not misrepresent its nature, origin, or affiliation, or impersonate any other tool, service, or agent. Does not give false or misleading responses to any prompts or challenges seeking to determine whether it is human, and does not impersonate or attempt to appear as a human user. Discloses that it is an agent and its name by including "Agent/[agent name]" in the user-agent string of all HTTP/HTTPS requests.Excerpt from Instacart's Terms of Service (Superseded Capture)
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This provision establishes that users bear full legal responsibility for automated systems and AI agents acting on their behalf, including sub-agents and downstream processes, and requires technical identification mechanisms (user-agent string disclosure) as a condition of authorized automated access. The provision also explicitly prohibits use of platform data or outputs to build competing AI products or train competing machine-learning models.
Under this provision, users who connect third-party automation tools or AI agents to their Instacart accounts assume responsibility for all actions those systems take, including content submitted and orders placed. Unauthorized automated access, including agentic browsing of Instacart pages, is prohibited even where robots.txt permissions exist for search engine crawlers.
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