Muse ordering could undercut businesses that earn from paid rankings
The author lists DoorDash, Amazon, Instacart, Yelp and eBay, arguing that if Muse places orders for users, ad-based ranking loses its value.
$META @Muse presents a serious threat to any business that that monetizes ranking as part of its model. Here are some obvious examples: $DASH: Ad Revenue: $1B (9% of total). If I tell Muse to order dinner, I never see sponsored rankings. DoorDash still delivers the food, but the ad auction becomes worthless. $AMZN: Ad Revenue is $68.6B (10% of total). Muse strips away the interface. If an agent searches Amazon for me, there is no reason a seller paying for placement should outrank a better product. $CART: Ad Revenue is $1.06B (28% of total). Brands pay for sponsored products while consumers browse. If Muse builds the basket itself, the digital shelf disappears. $YELP: Ad Revenue is $1.39B (95% of total). Might be the most immediate victim. Muse turns "search Yelp for a plumber, compare listings, click an ad" into "find me the best plumber available tomorrow and book him." $EBAY: Ad Revenue is $1.99B (18% of total). Muse uses the unique inventory, but it has zero reason to respect the paid ordering of that inventory. The common thread is simple - if your business makes money because sellers pay to influence what buyers see, @Muse might be coming to kill you.