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Perplexity AI Inc. must for now stop using its Comet web browser agent to make purchases on behalf of shoppers from Amazon.com Inc.’s online marketplace, a court ruled this week.
Amazon in November filed a lawsuit against the artificial intelligence startup accusing Perplexity of committing computer fraud by failing to disclose when Comet is shopping on a real person’s behalf, and refusing to stop when asked by Amazon.
The ruling, dated Monday, is a temporary order in place while both sides argue the legality of using tools designed by one company — more commonly called shopping bots — to make purchases from another company’s website without that company’s assent.
“Amazon has provided strong evidence that Perplexity, through its Comet browser, accesses with the Amazon user’s permission but without authorization by Amazon, the user’s password-protected account,” wrote District Judge Maxine Chesney, who is presiding over the case in San Francisco federal court.
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“The preliminary injunction will prevent Perplexity’s unauthorized access to the Amazon store and is an important step in maintaining a trusted shopping experience for Amazon customers,” Amazon spokesperson Lara Hendrickson said in an emailed statement. “We look forward to continuing to make our case in court.”
In its own statement, Perplexity said “it will continue to fight for the right of internet users to choose whatever AI they want.”
The order requires the firm to stop accessing password-protected sections of Amazon’s systems — in this case, Prime subscriber accounts — and to destroy copies of Amazon’s data. The ruling’s effect is suspended for a week to allow Perplexity to appeal.
The clash highlights how courts are being asked to establish guardrails for so-called AI agents that are beginning to handle more complex tasks online for users, including shopping. Widespread adoption of those tools could disrupt the $350 billion digital advertising market in the US, in which retailers and brands pay for prominent placement in Google and Amazon search results as well as social media feeds.
Amazon generated advertising revenue of $68.6 billion in 2025. Its founder, Jeff Bezos, has invested in Perplexity, which was recently valued at $20 billion and has laid out ambitions to reshape web search and other online tasks with AI-powered tools.
By Spencer Soper and Matt Day
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