Amazon vs. Perplexity: The Battle Over AI Shopping Agents Heats Up

Amazon sends legal threats to Perplexity over agentic browsing | TechCrunch

Amazon has told Perplexity to get its agentic browser out of its online store, the companies both confirmed publicly on Tuesday. After warning Perplexity multiple times that Comet, its AI-powered shopping assistant, was violating Amazon's terms of service by not identifying itself as an agent, the ecommerce giant sent the AI search engine startup a sternly worded cease-and-desist letter, Perplexity wrote in a blog post entitled "Bullying is not innovation." "This week, Perplexity received an aggressive legal threat from Amazon, demanding we prohibit Comet users from using their AI assistants on Amazon. This is Amazon's first legal salvo against an AI company, and it is a threat to all internet users," Perplexity lamented in the blog post. Perplexity's argument is that, since its agent is acting on behalf of a human user's direction, the agent automatically has the "same permissions" as the human user. The implication is that it doesn't have to identify itself as an agent. Amazon's response points out that other third-party agents working at the behest of human users do identify themselves. "It is how others operate, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers," Amazon's statement explains. If Amazon is to be believed, then Perplexity could simply identify its agent and start shopping. Of course, the risk is that Amazon, which has its own shopping bot called Rufus, could also block Comet -- or any other third-party agentic shopper -- from its site. Amazon suggests as much as its statement, which also says, "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate." Perplexity claims that Amazon would block the shopping bot because Amazon wants to sell advertising and product placements. Unlike human shoppers, a bot tasked with buying a new laundry basket presumably wouldn't find itself buying a more expensive one, or getting lured into buying the latest Brandon Sanderson novel and a new set of earphones (on sale!). If all of this sounds a bit familiar, that's because it is. A few months ago, Cloudflare published research accusing Perplexity of scraping websites while specifically defying requests from websites blocking AI bots. Interestingly, many people came to Perplexity's defense that time, because this wasn't a clear-cut case of web crawler bad behavior. Cloudflare documented how the AI was accessing a specific public website when its user asked about that specific website. Perplexity fans argued that this is exactly what every human-operated web browser does. On the other hand, Perplexity was using some questionable methods to do that accessing when a website opted out of bots, like hiding its identity. As TechCrunch reported at that time, that was a harbinger of things to come if the agentic world materializes as Silicon Valley predicts it will. If consumers and companies outsource their shopping, travel bookings, and restaurant reservations to bots, will it be in the best interest of websites to block bots entirely? How will they allow and work with them? Perplexity may be right in that Amazon is setting a precedent. As the 800-pound gorilla in ecommerce, it is clearly saying that the way this should work is for an agent to identify itself and let the website decide.

Amazon, Perplexity, and the future of AI shopping assistants

The battle over the future of AI-powered shopping has begun. Amazon sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter on Friday, demanding that the AI start-up immediately block its agentic Comet browser from making purchases on behalf of users in the Amazon Store. Also: Google's AI mode agents can snag event tickets for you now - here's how Addressed to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, the letter claims the company has ignored multiple warnings about its Comet browser violating Amazon's conditions of use by not identifying itself as an AI agent, and that the company's "ongoing illegal intrusion into the Amazon Store has already caused considerable harm, including disrupting Amazon's customer relationships and forcing Amazon to devote significant resources to track, investigate, and address Perplexity's misconduct." The letter added that if Perplexity did not agree with its terms by Monday at 5 p.m., Amazon would pursue legal action against the company. Perplexity fired back the following day in a blog post titled "Bullying is not innovation." The company painted itself as Silicon Valley's young David taking on an enormous tech Goliath in Amazon, which had lost sight of its founding startup ethic and, by seeking to forcibly block Perplexity's AI shopping assistant, was brazenly prioritizing ad revenue and other nefarious forms of user exploitation over what it had originally been built to provide: a frictionless online shopping experience. Also: I let ChatGPT Atlas do my Walmart shopping for me - here's how the AI browser agent did "This is Amazon's first legal salvo against an AI company, and it is a threat to all internet users," Perplexity wrote. Perplexity is also framing its legal battle with Amazon as a competition between the old guard of AI-powered shopping and an emerging paradigm where agents act as extensions of human users, shopping on their behalf and thereby liberating them from the time-consuming work of shopping for the best deals, comparing product offerings, and the like. "For decades, machine learning and algorithms have been weapons in the hands of large corporations, deployed to serve ads and manipulate what you see, experience, and purchase," Perplexity wrote. "The transformative promise of LLMs is that they put power back in the hands of people. Agentic AI marks a meaningful shift: users can finally regain control of their online experiences." Also: Beware of getting your product buying advice from AI for one big reason, says Ziff Davis CEO In other words: Sit back and relax, Amazon shoppers -- Comet can zip through the online shopping process without getting bogged down by spammy ads and predatory offers. Amazon sees things differently, of course, arguing in its letter that the use of Comet "degrades the Amazon shopping experience" by bypassing crucial and familiar points of engagement. "When Comet AI shops and makes purchases from the Amazon Store, Comet AI may not select the best price, delivery method, or recommendations, and Amazon customers may not receive critical product information," Amazon's legal counsel wrote in its letter. "For example, Comet AI does not offer Amazon customers the option of adding products to existing deliveries, which can result in improved delivery times and lower shipment volumes." Also: PayPal's new service is built for the AI shopping future - security included The letter also claims that using Comet also endangers Amazon user privacy (which Perplexity denied in its retort). Amazon has a delicate line to toe here. AI boomerism has become an ideological sticking point throughout Silicon Valley -- one of the great taboos of modern tech (at least if you're trying to attract investor dollars) is appearing to be an AI Luddite. Amazon, therefore, made it a point to clarify in its letter that while it was firmly opposed to Perplexity's use of Comet to shop on behalf of human users, it was steadfastly committed to the zeitgeist's broader embrace of AI. Also: AI agents are only as good as the data they're given, and that's a big issue for businesses "As a general matter, Amazon shares the industry's excitement about AI innovations and sees significant potential for agentic AI to improve customer experiences in a range of areas," the company's legal counsel wrote. "But to successfully deliver for customers, AI agents that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers must operate transparently when taking actions purportedly on a customer's behalf." Therein lies Amazon's core motivation: it's currently pushing its own AI shopping assistant, Rufus, which it launched back in July. As Perplexity pointed out in its blog, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told investors in an earnings call last week that the company "[expects] over time to partner with third-party agents." The implication is that AI shopping assistants erode the optimal user shopping experience -- unless they're built by Amazon itself. It's not the only e-commerce site actively trying to capitalize on agent-powered shopping experiences. In the company's own earnings call earlier this week, Shopify -- which builds online shopping experiences for businesses -- reported that purchases through its platform and rooted in AI-powered search had increased elevenfold since January. The unfolding dispute between Amazon and Perplexity offers an early glimpse of what could become a long and protracted conflict throughout the e-commerce world as it witnesses the rise of agentic shopping assistants. Also: I run a very small business. Here are 21 simple ways AI saves me time every day In one corner, Perplexity and similar AI-native startups will argue that they're empowering users through automation, while saluting some vague founding ethos of the internet as a tool for democratizing access to everything, including that deal on the vacuum cleaner you've been eyeing on Amazon. Bigger, more established tech companies like Amazon, on the other hand, are likely to argue that the ad-based model on which the internet has been built over the past 20+ years, while admittedly imperfect, is certainly better than an all-out free-for-all where armies of anonymous agents undercut the choices of individual users. That, ultimately, is what it boils down to: human agency. Will it be expanded or eroded by AI? Only time -- and probably more than a few long and protracted legal battles -- will tell.

Amazon and Perplexity have kicked off the great AI web browser fight

Amazon doesn't want to be a part of Perplexity's AI-powered shopping experience. In a post on Tuesday, the ecommerce giant says it has "repeatedly requested" that Perplexity stop allowing its Comet AI browser to buy products for customers, which Perplexity has responded to by accusing Amazon of "bullying." Perplexity's AI browser, Comet, currently offers an agentic AI feature that can find and purchase products from various websites -- including Amazon -- on your behalf. But now, Perplexity says it has received an "aggressive legal threat" from Amazon that demands that it stop allowing its AI assistant to shop for users -- something the AI startup claims is at odds with Amazon's values. "Amazon should love this. Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers," Perplexity writes. "But Amazon doesn't care. They're more interested in serving you ads, sponsored results, and influencing your purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers." In the post, Perplexity also cites a quote from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who said during an earnings call last week that the company expects to "partner with third-party agents" over time. "This is like if you went to a store and the store only allowed you to hire a personal shopper who worked for the store," Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer said in a statement to The Verge. "That's not a personal shopper -- that's a sales associate." Meanwhile, Amazon's statement says third-party applications that purchase products for customers on its site "should respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," claiming that Comet provides a "significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience."

Amazon Sends Perplexity a Cease and Desist Over Its AI Agents Shopping for You

(Credit: Charles-McClintock Wilson / iStock Editorial / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images) Don't miss out on our latest stories. Add PCMag as a preferred source on Google. In a case of Big Tech versus an emerging AI startup, Amazon is demanding that Perplexity stop its agentic web browser, Comet, from buying products on behalf of humans. "We've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides," Amazon says. As Bloomberg reports, Amazon accuses Perplexity of violating its terms of service and committing computer fraud by failing to disclose when the AI is shopping for a user. It reportedly asked Perplexity to stop using its AI agents on Amazon a year ago, and Perplexity agreed. That changed, however, with the launch of Comet. "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," says Amazon. In our tests, the Comet browser was able to purchase a product on Amazon when we asked it to, without requiring us to log in or enter credit card information. It already had access to the account and completed the action independently. "It took about 30 seconds before it prompted me to confirm, which I did, and it placed the order using my default payment method and address," says PCMag's Ruben Circelli. "It's definitely easy, and it seems to work, at least on Amazon." Perplexity published a strongly worded statement over what it called Amazon's "aggressive legal threat," accusing the tech giant of bullying and using litigation to stifle innovation. "Amazon should love this," Perplexity says. "Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers. But Amazon doesn't care. They're more interested in serving you ads, sponsored results, and influencing your purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers." Amazon may take issue with its customers using another company's tools, rather than its own, like the "Help Me Decide" AI shopping assistant it debuted last month, to make purchases. Perplexity's experience also does not require customers to visit Amazon's website, potentially devaluing it and limiting opportunities for browsing and additional purchases. Perplexity claims Amazon is trying to "make life worse," and argues that the e-commerce giant "shouldn't forget what it's like to be our size and passionate about a world-changing product." Still, agentic AI browsers are nascent technologies with known issues. Even OpenAI admitted that its ChatGPT Atlas is flawed and can purchase the wrong product on behalf of users. "ChatGPT agent is powerful and helpful, and designed to be safe, but it can still make (sometimes surprising!) mistakes, like trying to buy the wrong product or forgetting to check in with you before taking an important action," OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey wrote on X shortly after Atlas' release. The main reason this would happen, Stuckey says, is a prompt injection attack, or when a hacker embeds "malicious instructions in websites, emails, or other sources, to try to trick [an AI] agent into behaving in unintended ways." In other words, the customer could ask the AI to buy toilet paper, but an injected prompt could instruct the AI to ignore that directive and buy something else instead. Perplexity's response does not acknowledge these risks. Instead, it taps into the long-term potential for AI. "With the rise of agentic AI, software is also becoming labor: an assistant, an employee, an agent," it says. "Today, Amazon announced it does not believe in your right to hire labor, to have an assistant or an employee acting on your behalf." Amazon's response to AI-powered shopping differs from Walmart's, which last month signed a deal with OpenAI to allow ChatGPT users to shop its catalogue. With OpenAI's Instant Checkout technology, shoppers can purchase a Walmart item without ever leaving the ChatGPT interface or visiting Walmart.com. "This is agentic commerce in action," Walmart said. Disclosure: Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Amazon.com warns Perplexity its shopping bot isn't welcome

Perplexity likens Amazon's legal threat to an attempt to ban access to ... wrenches? Amazon.com has sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity in which it insists the AI company prevent its Comet browser from making automated purchases on behalf of users. Comet, like OpenAI's Atlas and several other browsers, includes a large language model that can automate web browsing and do things like make online purchases when instructed by users. Both sides are going to have to bleed before they realize that they're better off working together Amazon argues that third-party applications capable of making purchases on behalf of its customers should seek permission from the e-commerce giant before enabling that capability, to ensure a positive customer experience. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides," the company said in a statement. The Register understands that Perplexity's software tries to avoid detection in order to interact with Amazon's web store. Reddit's lawsuit against Perplexity makes a similar claim about Comet trying to work stealthily. Another of Amazon's concerns appears to be that Comet's AI agent may purchase products other than those the e-commerce giant's personalized product recommendations suggest. Amazon could make its personalization data available to Perplexity's Comet if the two companies chose to cooperate, but that might also entail financial consideration in exchange for the data integration. Plus Amazon may prefer to focus on its own native AI agent, Rufus. Coincidentally, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invested in Perplexity last year through his Bezos Expeditions Fund. Perplexity objects to Amazon's demand and has published a lengthy blog post characterizing the e-tail giant's stance as "a threat to all internet users." That overstates the popularity of AI agents for e-commerce. According to a February 2025 survey of 1,026 US respondents by Omnisend, "66 percent of consumers refuse to let AI make purchases for them, even if it promises better deals." But it may be that interest in automated online shopping is growing. In any event, Perplexity considers Amazon's demands to be bullying. The AI company's legal analysis reads as if it were written by AI. "For the last 50 years, software has been a tool, like a wrench in the hands of the user," the company said in its post. "But with the rise of agentic AI, software is also becoming labor: an assistant, an employee, an agent. "The law is clear that large corporations have no right to stop you from owning wrenches. Today, Amazon announced it does not believe in your right to hire labor, to have an assistant or an employee acting on your behalf. This isn't a reasonable legal position, it's a bully tactic to scare disruptive companies like Perplexity out of making life better for people." To be clear, your wrenches are safe. But software touches on different legal issues and Perplexity's claims about AI agents are not clear even to legal experts. The company for example says that AI agents are distinct from crawlers, scrapers, and bots, without explaining how that's so. The company goes on to argue, "Publishers and corporations have no right to discriminate against users based on which AI they've chosen to represent them. Users must have the right to choose technologies that represent them." The Register asked OpenAI and Anthropic whether either has received a cease and desist letter from Amazon related to AI browsing, but we've not heard back. Perplexity did not respond to a request to say whether it intends to comply with Amazon's demand. Santa Clara University law professor Eric Goldman told The Register that Comet leverages the credentials of Amazon customers to make purchases on their behalf and said: "It is possible for any service to restrict how a user discloses their credentials. They could say in their terms of service that you can't disclose your credentials to any third party." Goldman added that there are reasons Amazon might not want to do that, because users may find it useful to have services that act as proxies on their behalf. "So, for example, a lot of financial apps will ask for banks' login credentials so that they can go and gather data from the banks for the user but also potentially enable transactions on their behalf," Goldman explained. "So banks could shut that down. But if they do, they're cutting off a segment of users who actually would value that form of access over any other." But if Amazon did disallow the disclosure of credentials under its terms of service, Goldman said, the user would be in breach of that agreement by sharing them with Comet, and Perplexity might face some additional liability for acting on credentials it's not supposed to have. Goldman also said Amazon could choose to block Comet specifically, if Amazon could reliably identify the browser - a challenge that has vexed companies that have tried to block AI company crawlers. That's not a terms of use question but a technical self-help remedy, Goldman said. Goldman said it's unclear whether Amazon might prevail if it pursues a computer fraud claim in court, should Perplexity refuses to negotiate or change its behavior. "The courts are in complete chaos on this question, especially after [the US Supreme Court's decision [PDF] in Van Buren v. United States]. Nobody really knows anything about the legitimacy of scraping today." Goldman added that what Comet is doing may not be the same as web scraping. "Distinguishing between web browsing, scraping, and agentic AI access is going to be extremely difficult for the law," he said. He said the dispute reminds him of carriage contract battles between cable TV companies and broadcasters. "It's like one of those things where both sides are going to have to bleed before they realize that they're better off working together," he said. "And that's what happened in all those carriage disputes. As you know, eventually somebody's losing some money and then they start talking." ®

Perplexity AI accuses Amazon of bullying with legal threat over Comet browser

Aravind Srinivas, chief executive officer of Perplexity AI Inc., during the Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Perplexity AI accused Amazon of "bullying" on Tuesday after it received a letter from the e-commerce giant demanding it prevent people from using its artificial intelligence browser Comet to make purchases on their behalf. In a blog post, Perplexity said users can ask its Comet Assistant to find items and make purchases on Amazon, and that they "love this experience." But Perplexity said it received "an aggressive legal threat" from Amazon "demanding" that it put a stop to that practice. Amazon has already taken steps in recent months to prevent external AI agents from crawling its website, including those developed by OpenAI, Google and Meta. "Amazon should love this. Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers. But Amazon doesn't care," Perplexity wrote. "They're more interested in serving you ads, sponsored results, and influencing your purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers." Amazon did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

Amazon and Perplexity are fighting over the future of AI shopping

Amazon has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity that demands that the AI startup prevents its Comet browser from making purchases on Amazon, Bloomberg reports. In a blog post responding to Amazon's letter, Perplexity claims Amazon is "bullying" the company and that its demands pose "a threat to all internet users." In Amazon's eyes, Comet's agent violates its terms of service, degrades the Amazon shopping experience and introduces privacy vulnerabilities, Bloomberg writes. Amazon's "Conditions of Use" for Amazon.com specifically prohibit "any downloading, copying, or other use of account information for the benefit of any third party" and "any use of data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools." Depending on your definition, the agentic capabilities Perplexity offers through Comet could violate both clauses. The browser securely stores log-in credentials for websites locally, and uses them to make purchases for customers on Amazon with a simple command. Perplexity and Amazon agreed to pause agentic shopping on Amazon in November 2024, according to the report, but when Comet was released, Perplexity allowed it again. By representing the Comet agent as a Chrome browser user rather than a bot, the company allegedly tried to get around the agreement, until Amazon found out and sent its cease-and-desist letter. Amazon posted the statement below on its blog, openly acknowledging the issues it has with Perplexity: Complicating Amazon's claims, Perplexity might be a future shopping rival. Amazon demoed its own AI shopping agent called "Buy for Me" in April 2025. But Perplexity also disagrees with the fundamentals of Amazon's argument. "User agents are exactly that: agents of the user," Perplexity says. "They're distinct from crawlers, scrapers, or bots." Perplexity believes the Comet agent shouldn't run afoul of Amazon's terms and conditions then because it acts on the users' behalf, with the users' permission. This isn't the first time Perplexity has been accused of misrepresenting its AI tools to access content. In August, Cloudflare claimed that the company's bots were accessing blocked websites by pretending to be a normal Chrome browser user on macOS. Reddit also sued Perplexity and three other companies earlier this month for accessing Reddit posts without paying for a license.

Amazon warns Perplexity with cease-and-desist over AI shopping agent

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? Several artificial intelligence companies have been pushing their AI agents as tools that can make online purchases on a user's behalf. Amazon isn't happy about Perplexity's bot carrying out these actions on its platform, and has now sent a cease-and-desist letter to stop the company. Perplexity's Comet AI browser, which launched earlier this year, combines real-time search, privacy tools, and an intelligent assistant capable of automating user tasks, including online shopping. Amazon says that Comet violates its terms of service, degrades its shopping experience, and introduces privacy vulnerabilities, according to Bloomberg. Amazon also accuses Perplexity of committing computer fraud by failing to disclose when the AI is shopping on behalf of a user. Amazon.com's Conditions of Use prohibit the use of account information for the benefit of any third party, as well as the use of data gathering and extraction tools. Comet stores login credentials for websites locally to make purchases for customers, so it could be violating the terms. Amazon also notes that other third-party agents working on behalf of humans do identify themselves, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers. Perplexity replied to Amazon's legal threat in a statement titled, "Bullying is Not Innovation." "This week, Perplexity received an aggressive legal threat from Amazon, demanding we prohibit Comet users from using their AI assistants on Amazon. This is Amazon's first legal salvo against an AI company, and it is a threat to all internet users," Perplexity wrote. Perplexity essentially claims that its bot doesn't have to identify itself as an agent to Amazon. The company says Amazon wants to block the bot because the company prefers humans - who are more likely to be swayed by ads and product placements - to do their own shopping. There's also the fact that Amazon has its own AI-powered shopping features and bot. Perplexity is no stranger to controversy. It was accused of stealing content and lying in 2024, and Cloudflare recently accused it of scraping websites that explicitly blocked such actions. Perplexity was also one of the three companies Reddit sued for scraping user content without a license. Most people are understandably wary of letting AI agents make purchases at their behest, and for good reason. OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey warned that the ChatGPT Atlas browser can make mistakes, such as trying to buy the wrong product or failing to check in with users before taking an important action.

Amazon sues AI startup over browser's automated shopping and buying feature

Amazon accuses Perplexity of covertly accessing customer accounts and disguising AI activity as human browsing Amazon sued a prominent artificial intelligence startup on Tuesday over a shopping feature in the company's browser, which can automate placing orders for users. Amazon accused Perplexity AI of covertly accessing customer accounts and disguising AI activity as human browsing. "Perplexity's misconduct must end," Amazon's lawyers wrote. "Perplexity is not allowed to go where it has been expressly told it cannot; that Perplexity's trespass involves code rather than a lockpick makes it no less unlawful." Perplexity, which has grown rapidly amid the boom in AI assistants, has previously rejected the US shopping company's claims, accusing Amazon of using its market dominance to stifle competition. "Bullying is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people," the company wrote in a blogpost. The clash highlights an emerging debate over regulation of the growing use of AI agents, autonomous digital secretaries powered by AI, and their interaction with websites. In the suit, Amazon accused Perplexity of covertly accessing private Amazon customer accounts through its Comet browser and associated AI agent and of disguising automated activity as human browsing. Perplexity's system posed security risks to customer data, Amazon alleged, and the startup had ignored repeated requests to stop. "Rather than be transparent, Perplexity has purposely configured its CometAI software to not identify the Comet AI agent's activities in the Amazon Store," it said. In the complaint, Amazon accused Perplexity's Comet AI agent of degrading customers' shopping experience and interfering with its ability to ensure customers who use the agent benefit from the tailored shopping experience Amazon curated over decades. Third-party apps making purchases for users should operate openly and respect businesses' decisions on whether to participate, Amazon said in an earlier statement. Perplexity earlier said it had received a legal threat from Amazon demanding that it block the Comet AI agent from shopping on the platform, calling the move a broader threat to user choice and the future of AI assistants. Perplexity is among many AI startups seeking to reorient the web browser around artificial intelligence, aiming to make it more autonomous and capable of handling everyday online activities, from drafting emails to completing purchases. Amazon is also developing similar tools, such as "Buy For Me", which lets users shop across brands within its app, and Rufus, an AI assistant to recommend items and manage carts. The AI agent on Perplexity's Comet browser acts as an assistant that can make purchases and comparisons for users. The startup said user credentials remain stored locally and never on its servers. The startup said users had the right to choose their own AI assistants, portraying Amazon's move as an attempt to protect its business model. "Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers," Perplexity added. "But Amazon doesn't care, they're more interested in serving you ads."

Amazon Demands That AI Browser Stop Automatically Shopping on Behalf of Users

With more money flowing into AI development than ever before, web browsers powered by autonomous "AI agents" are hitting the market like crazy. One of the most popular is Comet, offered by the startup Perplexity. Though Comet promises to organize your emails, summarize webpages, and automate your searches, it's not without some glaring ethical and security flaws. And if you are reckless enough to use it for some online shopping, not even the world's largest online retailer supports it. According to Bloomberg, Amazon is now taking legal action to prevent Perplexity's Comet from browsing its wares on behalf of users. The e-commerce giant recently sent a scathing cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity, accusing it of "computer fraud" in violation of Amazon's terms of service. The legal notice also accused Perplexity of degrading the "Amazon shopping experience" and injecting privacy weak points into the shopping platform, anonymous sources told Bloomberg. Not content to let Amazon have the final word, Perplexity clapped back against the tech giant in a blog post titled "Bullying is Not Innovation." "The point of technology is to make life better for people. We call it innovation, but it's just the constant process of asking how to make things better," the Perplexity team wrote. "Bullying, on the other hand, is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people." Perplexity's post accused Amazon CEO Andy Jassy of prioritizing ads, sponsored results, and customer manipulation. "Amazon wants to eliminate user rights so that it can sell more ads right now and partner with AI agents designed to take advantage of users later," the company scolded. "It's not just bullying, it's bonkers." Jealousy is another likely explanation. The spat comes as Amazon rolls out it's "Buy for Me" service, a proprietary AI agent that shops the site on behalf of users. According to Amazon, the Buy for Me agent can also search for branded items offered elsewhere on the web through Amazon's site, an effort to make the platform a one-stop shop for just about anything sold on the web. This push into automated shopping agents is part of a much larger trend, and one critics warn is fraught with risk. As Tech Policy Press observed, the rise of AI agents likely comes with a cascade of unintended consequences, like threats to personal data privacy and loss of control, not to mention complex ethical and policy dilemmas for society as a whole. Or if you don't care about any of that junk, at least consider that Amazon is itself rapidly becoming a haven for AI-generated slop -- an issue agents will only make worse.

Amazon Sends Cease-and-Desist to Perplexity Over AI Agent Purchases - Decrypt

The dispute highlights growing tension over "agentic browsers" like Comet, ChatGPT Atlas, and Opera Neon. In an early showdown over the rise of "agentic" browsers, Amazon sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity AI demanding that its Comet assistant stop making purchases on the site. Amazon accused the AI search startup of disguising bots as human shoppers and violating its terms of service. The e-commerce giant said Perplexity's agent "degraded the Amazon shopping experience" and introduced privacy risks by acting on users' behalf without disclosure, according to a letter first reported by Bloomberg. Perplexity pushed back against the claims, calling them a bullying tactic. "Amazon's claims are typical legal bluster and completely unfounded," a company spokesperson told Decrypt. "What if stores said you can only hire a personal shopper who works for the store? That's not a personal shopper, it's a sales associate." Agentic browsers embed autonomous AI agents that act on the user's behalf, automating tasks like filling out forms, booking travel, or making purchases without manual clicks. Recent rollouts include Perplexity AI's Comet, OpenAI's ChatGPT Atlas, BrowserOS, and Opera Neon. In September, OpenAI introduced an "Instant Checkout" feature in ChatGPT that allowed AI agents to complete purchases for users via chat after integrating in-app shopping earlier this year. In a blog post titled "Bullying Is Not Innovation," Perplexity called Amazon's legal threat "dangerous" and framed the dispute as a fight over user autonomy. "It's dangerous to confuse consumer experience with consumer exploitation," Perplexity wrote. "Users want AI they can trust, and they want AI assistants that work on their behalf and no one else's." The post argued that users have the right to "hire their own digital assistants," and that "publishers and corporations have no right to discriminate against users based on which AI they've chosen to represent them." Amazon's terms prohibit any use of data mining, robots, or similar data-gathering and extraction tools. Amazon said Comet disguised automated logins as a Google Chrome browser; after Amazon blocked the activity, Perplexity released an update to bypass the restriction. Amazon defended its position, saying that third-party AI agents must operate transparently and in cooperation with participating businesses. "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," Amazon said in a statement. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides." Amazon said it remains open to agentic experiences that operate transparently and enhance customer value. Perplexity maintained that Comet, when shopping, only uses the customer's own credentials stored locally on their device -- not on Perplexity's servers -- and argued that its agents "act solely on the user's behalf." It also accused Amazon of being more interested in "serving ads and influencing purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers" than improving customer experience. Perplexity is a major customer of Amazon Web Services running its infrastructure on AWS, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is an investor, adding irony to a conflict that pits two intertwined companies against each other in defining who controls the next era of web automation. For now, Amazon's cease-and-desist marks one of the first formal challenges to how AI browsers operate when they search, click, and shop online. "The future of agentic commerce will depend on users' right to choose and trust their own AI agents," Perplexity AI's spokesperson said.

Amazon threatens legal action against Perplexity over claims of 'illegal conduct' and it's all because of an AI shopping agent

Perplexity says it's a 'bully tactic to scare disruptive companies...out of making life better for people.' Is your life really busy? So busy that any time spent going through the motions of online shopping is time wasted? Then there's a good chance that you're already using an AI agent to do it for you. However, not everyone is happy with this way of shopping, so much so that Amazon is threatening legal action against an AI company for doing precisely this. The focus of Amazon's ire is an agentic AI shopping tool built into a browser called Comet, made by Perplexity. Basically, you type in that you want to buy 10 tins of cat food on Amazon, and off it goes. Comet logs in with your details, finds the right products and orders kitty munchies for you. According to a blog post by Amazon (via Techcrunch), it doesn't have a problem with that in general. "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate." It then goes on to say: "This helps ensure a positive customer experience and it is how others operate, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers." But that's where the niceties end, and Amazon closes the post with a fairly pointed statement. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides." Amazon has now done more than 'repeatedly request', sending a cease and desist letter (PDF warning) to Perplexity, claiming that it will "seek all available legal and equitable remedies" should the AI not comply with said demands. You can read Perplexity's reaction to this on its blog post, which is considerably longer and more pointed than Amazon's statement. "The point of technology is to make life better for people. We call it innovation, but it's just the constant process of asking how to make things better. Bullying, on the other hand, is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people." The AI company goes even further: "Amazon wants to eliminate user rights so that it can sell more ads right now and partner with AI agents designed to take advantage of users later. It's not just bullying, it's bonkers." In its cease and desist letter, Amazon claims that Perplexity's conduct is illegal because it is "covertly intruding into the Amazon Store through Comet AI in violation of computer fraud and abuse statutes." All of this is going to be bread and butter for lawyers to sort out, and certainly beyond my tiny brain's capacity for understanding legal-speak, but I dare say that if this does all come to blows and ends up in court, the outcome will certainly have an impact on the use of AI agents for shopping in general. Should Amazon be successful in such a court case, other AI companies will certainly be required to 'team up' with the retail giant to be able to use their tools with Amazon, or they may just skip shopping on Amazon altogether. But if it's judged that Perplexity isn't going anything wrong, and can carry on using Comet as it currently does, then we may see a flood of agents hitting Amazon on a regular basis.

Agentic AI to fore as Amazon sues Perplexity over purchases via Comet

Perplexity has received a cease and desist letter from Amazon who is suing it in a San Francisco court to stop using its Comet 'agents' to purchase via its site. The major AI players see a future where our AI 'agents' will do our shopping for us, based on our purchasing history, preferences, pricing and online reviews. Just last week, Paypal struck a deal with OpenAI to enable instant payment within ChatGPT, seen as a boost to its agentic shopping ambitions. However such a development would not be great news for online retailers like Amazon who depend on the advertising revenue generated by promoted products on their own sites, which would be largely sidelined should shoppers purchase directly via their AI browsers or 'agents'. Yesterday (November 4) Amazon filed a suit demanding Perplexity stop allowing its AI browser agent, Comet, to make purchases for its users online. It is setting up an inevitable showdown between retailers and AI players. Amazon says Perplexity is committing 'computer fraud' by failing to disclose when Comet is shopping on a real person's behalf, and that this violates Amazon's terms of service, according to the complaint in San Francisco federal court. Perplexity, on the other hand, is accusing Amazon of being a "bully" and that its agents should be treated like any other user. "Instead of supporting innovation that lets people choose their own AI assistants for agentic shopping and other tasks, Amazon is doubling down on old tactics: blocking user choice with litigious bullying," a Perplexity spokesperson, Beejoli Shah, told Siliconrepublic.com in an emailed statement. "It's simple: AI user agents are an extension of users. They can only act and behave as their user can, and then can only work on the user's behalf. No more, no less...Your AI assistant works for you, not for Perplexity, and not for Amazon." However, according to Bloomberg, Amazon's filing accuses Perplexity of breaching its guidelines that prohibit "any use of data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools." "Amazon's request is straightforward: Perplexity must be transparent when deploying its artificial intelligence," the Amazon filing said. "No different than any other intruder, Perplexity is not allowed to go where it has been expressly told it cannot; that Perplexity's trespass involves code rather than a lockpick makes it no less unlawful." Perplexity's Shah however told us that its user agents "can't crawl, scrape, index, train, or any other activity commonly associated with 'bots'", and pointed us to 'Perplexity Team' blog post. "User agents are exactly that: agents of the user," Perplexity says in the post. "They're distinct from crawlers, scrapers, or bots. A user agent is your AI assistant -- it has exactly the same permissions you have, works only at your specific request, and acts solely on your behalf." It's a debate that will continue to rage, and these appear to be the first major shots fired in a battle that is likely to have major implications for the future of agentic AI. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.

Amazon blocks Perplexity from sending its AI agents to purchase goods - SiliconANGLE

Amazon blocks Perplexity from sending its AI agents to purchase goods Amazon.com Inc. has sent a cease-and-desist letter to AI startup Perplexity, asking that the company refrain from using its Comet browser's AI agents to make purchases on Amazon's marketplace, a move Perplexity has called "bullying." Amazon argued that agents taking the place of human shoppers would degrade the customer experience. The company explicitly prohibits "any use of data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools." Third-party AI agents must operate transparently and in coordination with participating businesses. It's reported that Amazon asked Perplexity to stop using its AI agents about a year ago. Perplexity agreed, only to start again with the release of Comet browser. While Amazon points to "degraded shopping and customer service experience" as the reasons for the cease-and-desist letter, it's more likely that the tens of billions Amazon could lose in advertising is at the heart of the matter. Without human eyes on products, targeted advertising no longer works. Amazon has its own AI agent to help users purchase goods, its 'Help Me Decide' AI shopping assistant, although the major difference is that it requires human eyes on the website. With Perplexity's agentic shopper, users don't need to log in themselves or input their credit information to buy something. The human is almost completely removed from the process, although early customer reviews of the Comet assistant as a shopper point to teething issues - customers seemingly don't always get what they want. While Perplexity has agreed to hold back the bots, the company hit back at Amazon in a blog post, accusing Amazon of stifling innovation. It claims Amazon is using "legal threats and intimidation to block innovation," adding that agentic AI is there to reduce labor. "Today, Amazon announced it does not believe in your right to hire labor, to have an assistant or an employee acting on your behalf," the company said. "This isn't a reasonable legal position; it's a bully tactic to scare disruptive companies like Perplexity out of making life better for people." Perplexity argued that Amazon should welcome such software, since easier shopping ought to mean more sales. It's doubtful that pitch will convince the e-commerce giant that what it loses in ad revenue and upselling can be offset by streamlined ghost buying. It almost certainly won't, hence the letter. In Perplexity's view, this is a matter of the future butting heads with the past, a clash that tends to end the same way every time. "Amazon also forgets how it got so big," the post ended. "Users love it. They want good products, at a low price, delivered fast. Agentic shopping is the natural evolution of this promise, and people already demand it. Perplexity demands the right to offer it."

Amazon Sends Legal Threat to Perplexity Over Comet AI Assistant's Shopping on Its Platform | AIM

"Amazon wants to block you from using your own AI assistant to shop on their platform. Comet users love this experience." AI search company Perplexity AI has accused Amazon of using legal threats to prevent users from using its AI assistant, Comet, to make purchases on Amazon's platform. In a statement released earlier this week, Perplexity said Amazon sent an "aggressive legal threat" demanding that the company prohibit Comet users from accessing Amazon through the assistant. Perplexity described the move as "a threat to all internet users." "The point of technology is to make life better for people," the company said. "Bullying, on the other hand, is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people." Comet allows users to log in securely to their Amazon accounts and ask the AI assistant to search for, compare and purchase items. Perplexity said all credentials are stored locally on users' devices, not on its servers. "Amazon wants to block you from using your own AI assistant to shop on their platform," the company said. "Comet users love this experience." Perplexity argued that Amazon's motivation lies in preserving its advertising-driven business model. The company pointed to comments by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who told investors that the company's ad performance led to "a return on advertising spend that's very unusual", adding that Amazon expects to "partner with 3rd party agents" in the future. Jassy recently said that Rufus, the company's AI shopping assistant, could bring in more than $10 billion in extra sales each year. Launched in August 2025, Rufus is part of Amazon's push to use AI to make shopping easier, with better product suggestions, search, and personalised experiences. Perplexity AI stated that Comet acts as a "user agent", operating with the same permissions and rights as its user, and not as a web crawler or bot. "Your AI assistant must be private, personal and powerful," Perplexity said. "Publishers and corporations have no right to discriminate against users based on which AI they've chosen to represent them." Perplexity said it will not comply with Amazon's demand. "The rise of agentic AI presents a choice," it added. "Will this technology empower users to take control of their digital lives? Or will it become another tool for corporations to manipulate and exploit?" The company said it would continue to defend user choice. "Amazon shouldn't forget what it's like to be our size and passionate about a world-changing product," Perplexity said. "Agentic shopping is the natural evolution of this promise, and people already demand it. Perplexity demands the right to offer it."

Amazon sues to stop Perplexity from using AI tool to buy stuff

Amazon is suing Perplexity AI to try and stop the startup from helping users buy items on the world's largest online marketplace, setting up a showdown that may have implications for the reach of so-called agentic artificial intelligence. The U.S. online retailer filed a lawsuit Tuesday demanding Perplexity stop allowing its AI browser agent, Comet, to make purchases online for users. The e-commerce giant is accusing Perplexity of committing computer fraud by failing to disclose when Comet is shopping on a real person's behalf, in violation of Amazon's terms of service, according to the complaint in San Francisco federal court. Amazon is introducing a dispute after sending a cease-and-desist letter to the startup on Oct. 31, accusing the smaller company of degrading the Amazon shopping experience and introduced privacy vulnerabilities, people familiar with the matter have said. The lawsuit may help set precedents on how far agentic AI can go in helping people figure out and automatically perform real-world tasks, rather than just creating online content. A Perplexity spokesperson said the lawsuit "just proves Amazon is a bully." In an earlier blog post, the startup said the larger company was targeting a competitor with a rival AI agent shopping product and argued that users should be able to choose their preferred agent to make purchases on Amazon. "It's a bully tactic to scare disruptive companies like Perplexity out of making life better for people," the startup wrote. The clash between Amazon and Perplexity offers an early glimpse into a looming debate over how to handle the proliferation of so-called AI agents that field more complex tasks online for users, including shopping. Like OpenAI and Google, Perplexity has pushed to rethink the traditional web browser around AI, with the goal of having it streamline more actions for users, such as drafting emails and conducting research. "Amazon's request is straightforward: Perplexity must be transparent when deploying its artificial intelligence," the U.S. retailer said in its filing. "No different than any other intruder, Perplexity is not allowed to go where it has been expressly told it cannot; that Perplexity's trespass involves code rather than a lockpick makes it no less unlawful." Amazon is also developing its own AI agents, including some capable of shopping. In April, it introduced a feature -- still in public testing -- called Buy For Me, which is designed to let shoppers buy from brand sites within the Amazon shopping app. Another AI assistant, called Rufus, can browse Amazon's site, recommend products to shoppers and put them in a cart. But much of the experimentation in how agents might interact with the web has been carried out by startups like Perplexity, now valued at $20 billion. "Amazon's a company that we've actually taken a lot of inspiration from," Perplexity Chief Executive Officer Aravind Srinivas said in an interview. "But I don't think it's customer-centric to force people to use only their assistant, which may not even be the best shopping assistant." The Amazon retail site's conditions of use prohibit "any use of data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools." In November 2024, Amazon asked Perplexity to stop deploying AI agents capable of purchasing products on the site until the two companies came to an agreement on the practice, the people familiar with the matter said. The startup complied. But by this August, Perplexity started using its new Comet browser agent, which had logged into their users' Amazon accounts, the letter said. This time, Perplexity identified the agents as a Google Chrome browser user, Amazon said in the letter. When Perplexity refused to stop its bots, Amazon sought to block them, but Perplexity released a new version of Comet to get around the security measure. "It's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," Lara Hendrickson, an Amazon spokesperson, said in an emailed statement. She added that other companies, including food delivery services and online travel agencies, operate in the same way. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides," she said. In response to Amazon's cease-and-desist letter that Perplexity was disguising its agents, Srinivas said he sees no need to distinguish a user from an agent that someone deputizes on their behalf. Srinivas argued that agents should have "all the same rights and responsibilities" as a real human user. "It's not Amazon's job to survey that," he said. Over the past 18 months, Perplexity has been accused by publishers of using their content in AI news summaries without permission and of buying data that had been illegally scraped from Reddit's discussion sites. Perplexity previously said it "will always fight vigorously for users' rights to freely and fairly access public knowledge." Srinivas said Perplexity's Comet browser is not training or scraping any information from Amazon with its Comet agent, only taking actions required to make purchases at a user's bidding. Perplexity, in the blog post responding to the cease-and-desist letter, also accused Amazon of trying to "eliminate user rights" in order to sell more ads. Shopping agents may one day pose a significant threat to Amazon's lucrative advertising business, which makes most of its money by selling prominent placement on its web store in response to shoppers' product search queries. If bots shop for customers, the advertising placement potentially loses its value. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on an earnings call last week that the customer experience for AI shopping agents was "not good," citing a lack of personalization and user-specific shopping history, and bungled delivery estimates and pricing. "But I do think we will find ways to partner," he said, adding that Amazon was having "conversations" with builders of third-party agents. Perplexity is a customer of Amazon's cloud unit. Srinivas said his company has made "hundreds of millions" in commitments to Amazon Web Services. AWS also brought Srinivas on stage during its annual trade show in 2023, and has repeatedly touted the startup as one of the AI outfits that built their businesses in part on Amazon's digital infrastructure. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has also invested in Perplexity. -- With assistance from Spencer Soper, Peter Blumberg and Edwin Chan.

Amazon Demands Perplexity Stop AI Tool From Making Purchases

Amazon is also developing its own AI agents capable of shopping Amazon.com has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity AI Inc. demanding that the artificial intelligence search startup stop allowing its AI browser agent, Comet, to make purchases online for users. The e-commerce giant is accusing Perplexity of committing computer fraud by failing to disclose when its AI agent is shopping on a user's behalf, in violation of Amazon's terms of service, according to people familiar with the letter sent on Friday. The document also said Perplexity's tool degraded the Amazon shopping experience and introduced privacy vulnerabilities, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. In a blog post, Perplexity said Amazon is bullying a smaller competitor with a rival AI agent shopping product and argued that users should have a choice to choose their preferred agent to make purchases on Amazon. "It's a bully tactic to scare disruptive companies like Perplexity out of making life better for people," the startup wrote. The clash between Amazon and Perplexity offers an early glimpse into a looming debate over how to handle the proliferation of so-called AI agents that field more complex tasks online for users, including shopping. Like OpenAI and Alphabet's Google, Perplexity has pushed to rethink the traditional web browser around AI, with the goal of having it streamline more actions for users, such as drafting emails and conducting research. Amazon is also developing its own AI agents, including some capable of shopping. In April, it introduced a feature - still in public testing - called Buy For Me, which is designed to let shoppers buy from brand sites within the Amazon shopping app. Another AI assistant, called Rufus, can browse Amazon's site, recommend products to shoppers and put them in a cart. But much of the experimentation in how agents might interact with the web has been carried out by startups like Perplexity, now valued at $20 billion. "Amazon's a company that we've actually taken a lot of inspiration from," Perplexity Chief Executive Officer Aravind Srinivas said in an interview. "But I don't think it's customer centric to force people to use only their assistant, which may not even be the best shopping assistant." The Amazon retail site's conditions of use prohibit "any use of data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools." In November 2024, Amazon asked Perplexity to stop deploying AI agents capable of purchasing products on the site until the two companies came to an agreement on the practice, the people said. The startup complied. But by this August, Perplexity started using its new Comet browser agent, which had logged into their user's Amazon accounts, the letter said. This time, Perplexity identified the agents as a Google Chrome browser user, Amazon said in the letter. When Perplexity refused to stop its bots, Amazon sought to block them, but Perplexity released a new version of Comet to get around the security measure. "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," Lara Hendrickson, an Amazon spokesperson, said in an emailed statement. She added that other companies, including food delivery services and online travel agencies, operate in the same way. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides," she said. In response to Amazon's accusation that Perplexity was disguising its agents, Srinivas said he sees no need to distinguish a user from an agent that someone deputizes on their behalf. Srinivas argued that agents should have "all the same rights and responsibilities" as a real human user. "It's not Amazon's job to survey that," he said. Over the past 18 months, Perplexity has been accused by publishers of using their content in AI news summaries without permission and of buying data that had been illegally scraped from Reddit's discussion sites. Perplexity previously said it "will always fight vigorously for users' rights to freely and fairly access public knowledge." Srinivas said Perplexity's Comet browser is not training or scraping any information from Amazon with its Comet agent, only taking actions required to make purchases at a user's bidding. Perplexity, in a blog post responding to the cease-and-desist letter, also accused Amazon of trying to "eliminate user rights" in order to sell more ads. Shopping agents may one day pose a significant threat to Amazon's lucrative advertising business, which makes most of its money by selling prominent placement on its web store in response to shoppers' product search queries. If bots shop for customers, the advertising placement potentially loses its value. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said on an earnings call last week that the customer experience for AI shopping agents was "not good," citing a lack of personalization and user-specific shopping history, and bungled delivery estimates and pricing. "But I do think we will find ways to partner," he said, adding that Amazon was having "conversations" with builders of third-party agents. Perplexity is a customer of Amazon's cloud unit. Srinivas said his company has made "hundreds of millions" in commitments to Amazon Web Services. AWS also brought Srinivas on stage at its annual trade show in 2023 and has repeatedly touted the startup as one of the AI outfits that built their businesses in part on Amazon's digital infrastructure. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has also invested in Perplexity.

Perplexity shopping bot not welcome at Amazon shop - The Economic Times

Amazon has ordered AI startup Perplexity to stop its Comet bot from shopping on its site, claiming it breaks rules and gives poor customer experiences. Perplexity calls Amazon's move bullying. The dispute comes as tech firms race to build AI agents that can browse, shop, and complete online tasks autonomously.Amazon is demanding that artificial intelligence startup Perplexity put a stop to its bot shopping for people at the e-commerce giant's retail platform, the companies said on Tuesday. Amazon sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter that sets the stage for a lawsuit if AI agent Comet continues to serve as a personal shopper for customers. "We've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience," an Amazon spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry. "Particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides." Amazon also contends that Comet's automated shopping is violating terms of service by not disclosing it is independently doing the shopping for users. In a blog post, San Francisco-based Perplexity accused Amazon of using a "bully tactic" to scare "disruptive companies" from making shopping easier for people. Like other generative AI tools, Comet has evolved beyond finding information or crafting text to independently performing computer tasks such as booking reservations or tending to online shopping. Amazon says Perplexity has failed to take personalized recommendations into account and its AI agent is making mistakes regarding delivery times. The retail colossus also argued that Perplexity uses tactics to gain "unauthorized access" for shopping at the platform, failing to operate "transparently." Amazon is testing its own AI agents capable of handling all stages of shopping for customers and uses data it collects to target products and ads. Perplexity, valued recently at some $20 billion, is among tech firms developing AI agents that work in web browsers, tending to internet tasks for users. Generative AI star OpenAI last month launched a ChatGPT Atlas web browser on Apple computers that is capable of shopping at some websites. Similar AI agent shopping capabilities are expected to be added to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers in coming months.

Amazon vs Perplexity : The Click That Sparked an AI Shopping Showdown

What happens when innovation collides with corporate control? This is the question at the heart of a growing legal battle between Amazon and Perplexity AI, the developer of the AI-powered browser Comet. Amazon has issued a stern warning to Perplexity AI, demanding it stop allowing users to shop on its platform using Comet's agentic AI capabilities. These tools, which act as virtual assistants to streamline online shopping, are being framed by Amazon as a violation of its terms of service. But for Perplexity AI, this is more than a legal dispute, it's a fight for the future of user autonomy and the role of AI in reshaping digital commerce. The stakes? Nothing less than the balance of power between tech giants and the very users they serve. This unfolding conflict offers a glimpse into the broader tensions shaping the digital economy. Learn how agentic AI tools, like Comet, challenge traditional business models by prioritizing user preferences over platform-driven strategies. At the same time, the case raises critical questions about privacy, innovation, and corporate accountability. Is Amazon protecting its business interests, or stifling technological progress? And what does this mean for the future of e-commerce and AI? As we delve into this pivotal moment, the answers may reveal not just the direction of this legal battle, but the trajectory of user empowerment in an increasingly AI-driven world. Amazon has issued a legal warning to Perplexity AI, demanding that its AI-powered browser, Comet, cease allowing users to shop on Amazon's platform. This dispute highlights the growing tension between corporate interests and the evolving potential of agentic AI technologies. Perplexity AI argues that Amazon's actions threaten user rights, stifle innovation, and hinder the broader promise of assistive AI tools. The conflict underscores a critical debate about the future of AI in reshaping digital commerce and user autonomy. At the center of Amazon's legal challenge is Comet, an AI browser developed by Perplexity AI. Comet enables users to shop on Amazon's platform by using agentic AI capabilities, which allow it to act on behalf of users. Amazon claims this functionality violates its terms of service, disrupting its business model and operational framework. The company argues that such tools bypass its established systems, potentially undermining its control over the shopping experience. In response, Perplexity AI has criticized Amazon's stance, framing it as an effort to suppress technological innovation and limit user autonomy. This dispute reflects broader concerns about how AI technologies are challenging traditional business models. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they are reshaping the dynamics of e-commerce, raising questions about the balance between corporate control and user empowerment. Amazon's concerns also extend to its advertising-driven revenue model, which relies heavily on directing users to specific products and services. Tools like Comet, which prioritize user preferences over platform-driven recommendations, could disrupt this model. This raises important questions about whether corporate interests are aligned with the broader goals of technological progress and user-centric innovation. Agentic AI, exemplified by tools like Comet, represents a significant shift in how users interact with digital platforms. Unlike traditional bots or web scrapers, agentic AI operates as an extension of the user, performing tasks with explicit consent and tailored to individual preferences. These tools are designed to navigate platforms, make decisions, and execute actions on behalf of users, offering a more personalized and efficient digital experience. Perplexity AI emphasizes that agentic AI enables users by prioritizing their autonomy and decision-making. This technology challenges centralized business models that rely on controlling user interactions, instead fostering a more decentralized and user-driven approach. By allowing individuals to take greater control over their digital activities, agentic AI has the potential to redefine the relationship between users and platforms. However, this paradigm shift is not without controversy. Critics argue that such tools could disrupt established industries, while proponents see them as a necessary evolution in the digital economy. The debate surrounding agentic AI reflects broader tensions about the role of technology in shaping the future of commerce, privacy, and innovation. A central argument in Perplexity AI's defense is the principle of user rights and privacy. The company asserts that individuals should have the freedom to choose AI tools that act on their behalf without interference from corporations. Agentic AI is designed with privacy as a cornerstone, making sure that user data is safeguarded and autonomy is preserved. Perplexity AI contends that restricting such technologies not only stifles innovation but also infringes on users' ability to control their digital interactions. The company argues that empowering users with privacy-focused tools is essential for fostering trust in AI technologies. By prioritizing user-centric design, Perplexity AI seeks to challenge the dominance of corporate-driven platforms that prioritize profit over user empowerment. Amazon's critics have also raised concerns about the company's business practices, particularly its reliance on advertising revenue and upselling strategies. Perplexity AI has accused Amazon of prioritizing monetization over user experience, suggesting that the company's resistance to agentic AI stems from a desire to maintain control over consumer behavior. This critique underscores broader concerns about the ethical implications of corporate influence in the development and deployment of AI technologies. The legal dispute between Amazon and Perplexity AI raises critical questions about the future of AI in e-commerce and its role in empowering users. Agentic AI, with its ability to provide personalized and efficient assistance, has the potential to transform how individuals interact with digital platforms. By prioritizing user autonomy, these tools challenge traditional power dynamics and offer a vision of a more equitable digital economy. However, the outcome of this conflict could have far-reaching implications for the trajectory of AI innovation. If corporations are allowed to restrict the development of agentic AI, it could limit the potential of these technologies to empower users and foster competition. Conversely, a resolution that supports user-centric AI could pave the way for a new era of digital interactions, where individuals have greater control over their online experiences. Perplexity AI has positioned itself as a champion of user rights, emphasizing the importance of privacy, autonomy, and innovation. The company views this legal battle as a pivotal moment in the evolution of AI technologies, with the potential to shape the future of digital commerce and user empowerment. By resisting what it perceives as corporate overreach, Perplexity AI aims to redefine the relationship between users and platforms, advocating for a more inclusive and user-driven approach to technological progress. As the dispute between Amazon and Perplexity AI unfolds, it serves as a microcosm of the broader challenges facing the AI industry. The case highlights the tension between corporate interests and the fantastic potential of AI technologies to empower users. It also raises important questions about the ethical responsibilities of corporations in shaping the future of digital interactions. Agentic AI represents a significant opportunity to redefine how individuals engage with technology, offering greater autonomy, privacy, and efficiency. However, its success depends on the willingness of stakeholders to embrace innovation while addressing the concerns of established industries. The outcome of this legal battle could set a precedent for how AI technologies are regulated and deployed, influencing the balance of power between corporations and individuals in the digital economy. By advocating for user-centric AI, Perplexity AI seeks to challenge traditional business models and promote a vision of technology that prioritizes individual empowerment. The resolution of this conflict will not only impact the future of e-commerce but also shape the broader trajectory of AI innovation and its role in society.

Perplexity Fires Back At Amazon's Legal Threat On Agentic Shopping: 'Bullying Is Not Innovation' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)

Perplexity and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) engaged in a heated dispute after the e-commerce giant issued a legal threat to the AI startup over the use of its AI assistants for online shopping. Perplexity Refuses To 'Be Intimidated' After Amazon demanded that Perplexity block Comet users from deploying their AI assistants on its platform -- its first legal move against an AI company -- Perplexity replied in a blog post titled "Bullying is not innovation," on Tuesday. The AI startup countered that its agent, operating under a human user's direction, inherently has the "same permissions" as the human and therefore does not need to identify itself as an agent. Perplexity called Amazon's move "a threat to all internet users." The Aravind Srinivas-led start-up added that it "isn't a reasonable legal position" and accused the e-commerce giant of using "bully tactic" to scare disruptive companies. The AI startup also pointed out that Amazon itself had once "fought aggressively" against similar intimidating threats. Calling agentic shopping as the "natural evolution," Perplexity stated that it won't "be intimidated." Amazon Demands 'Straightforward' Approach Amazon, however, notes that many other third-party agents acting on behalf of human users -- such as food delivery platforms, courier services, and online travel agencies -- clearly identify themselves. The company's statement implies that Perplexity could do the same and begin shopping through proper disclosure. The concern, however, is that Amazon might choose to block Comet or any similar third-party shopping agent from accessing its site. The e-commerce giant stated that it believes "it's fairly straightforward" for third-party applications making purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses to "operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate." See Also: Bitcoin's Downtrend Explained By Wall Street Vet: It's An 'IPO-Style Distribution' Perplexity's Past Controversies This legal dispute is the latest in a series of high-profile incidents involving Perplexity. In August, a Cloudflare report accused the startup of using stealth, undeclared crawlers to evade website no-crawl directives, sparking controversy in the tech industry. CEO, Aravind Srinivas, in October, warned against the misuse of AI tools. This warning came after a viral video showed Comet, Perplexity's browser, completing an entire Coursera assignment in seconds. Perplexity, backed by Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), SoftBank, and Jeff Bezos, also made headlines in August for its unsolicited $34.5 billion cash bid to acquire Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google's Chrome browser. This bold move was seen as a potential game-changer in the tech industry. READ NEXT: Getty Images Stock Rises On Perplexity AI Licensing Deal Image via Shutterstock Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. AMZNAmazon.com Inc$248.68-0.26%OverviewGOOGAlphabet Inc$277.40-0.24%GOOGLAlphabet Inc$277.09-0.16%NVDANVIDIA Corp$197.15-0.78%Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Perplexity's Agents Crash Amazon's Gate and Spark a Legal Showdown | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Amazon fired the first volley with a cease-and-desist letter against Perplexity AI, accusing Perplexity of violating its terms of service and of potentially breaching federal and California computer fraud statutes. Maya Mikhailov, CEO and founder at Savvi AI, told PYMNTS that Amazon's move reflects a predictable defense of its revenue model. "Amazon's reaction is very understandable," Mikhailov said. "They've built this massive commerce and advertising engine, and if Perplexity or any AI browser starts to disintermediate them from their customers, that puts that entire stream at risk." Amazon's letter demands that Perplexity "immediately cease using, enabling, or deploying Comet's artificial intelligence agents" to access Amazon's systems without permission. It alleges that Perplexity's Comet browser scrapes Amazon data, misrepresents delivery times, and undermines product security and customer trust. The letter warns that Comet's behavior could "erode customer confidence" and expose users to "phishing, scams, and other cyberattacks." In response, Perplexity rejected those allegations in a blog post Bullying Is Not Innovation, describing Amazon's action as an attempt to block independent AI tools from operating across the open web. The company wrote that "large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation," arguing that Comet acts only on behalf of the user. According to Perplexity, all credentials remain stored locally, and its agent "works for the user, not for Perplexity, and certainly not for Amazon." It's an understatement to say there's a lot of money at stake. Amazon's online advertising business grew 24% in the third quarter to $17.7 billion, outpacing the company's AWS cloud computing unit, which posted 20% sales growth, according to the company's earnings. Comet threatens that model by collapsing the multistage shopping process of discovery, comparison and purchase into a single action, skipping the sponsored results and recommendations that drive Amazon's profit. However, Amir Sarhangi, founder of Skyfire, told PYMNTS that the deeper issue is data visibility. "Nobody wants to get disintermediated," he said. "For Amazon, that's the real problem. They've always had visibility into what people browse, abandon and return to. With agentic shopping, they lose that view until checkout. By then, it's too late." Echoing that sentiment, Entersekt Chief Technology Officer Gerhard Oosthuizen told PYMNTS, "The conversation around agentic commerce touches so many ecosystems, including brand loyalty, fraud, consumer trust and revenue disintermediation. But for eCommerce, the conversation largely stems around the reduction in information merchants might receive around client profile, interest, location and demographics." Mikhailov said the case mirrors earlier fights over data access and pointed to a dispute over the summer between JPMorgan and Plaid over the FinTech's access to consumer data. "This is completely analogous to JPMorgan and Plaid. Nobody wants a free ride on the back of a multibillion-dollar brand they built. In this case, it's not bank data being used, it's merchant and product data." Oosthuizen added that the challenge also extends to how merchants manage bot traffic. "Merchants and financial institutions have long had the tools to detect and block bots from accessing their systems," he said. "These malicious bots typically rely on scraping, credential stuffing or man-in-the-middle attacks. We can expect similar scrutiny as unapproved or undeclared AI agents begin interacting with merchant platforms. If they don't properly identify themselves or are seen to be disintermediating the brand, they'll likely be blocked." Sarhangi believes the lack of standards fuels this conflict. "There's no good way right now for merchants to know who's behind the agent. They don't know who's shopping or what's being browsed. That's why verification matters. Knowing your agent changes everything." His proposed Know Your Agent framework would verify both the user and the AI system. "With KYA, the merchant can see who the consumer is, who the agent developer is, and what permission has been granted. That restores transparency and keeps the customer relationship intact." McKinsey estimates that agentic commerce could reach $5 trillion in global transactions by 2030. OpenAI's Instant Checkout already lets users complete purchases inside ChatGPT, and Walmart's AI-first shopping integration offers a similar functionality to millions of customers. "In the long run, this is about the operating system of consumer life," Mikhailov said. "These assistants are trying to be everywhere across devices, voice and wearables. Whoever controls that agent layer controls the next digital gateway." For Amazon, the greater risk is losing visibility into consumer behavior that drives its advertising and recommendations. "Advertising will change, but it won't disappear," Sarhangi said. "Merchants still want to know who you are so they can suggest what goes with what. If the agent cuts them out of that loop, the economics collapse." He added, "In the end, this is a fight over identity. If Amazon can't tell who its customer is, it can't personalize, advertise or build loyalty. That's the heart of this battle." Mikhailov said that while startups see opportunity, the industry still needs structure. "As a founder, I want freedom to build, but as someone who's worked in banking and payments, I understand the need for guardrails. It shouldn't take a major fraud incident for the industry to set standards."

Amazon demands Perplexity 'cease and desist' AI agent Comet (AMZN)

Amazon (AMZN) is demanding Perplexity stop its AI browser, Comet, from making purchases for users on the Amazon marketplace, a practice the ecommerce giant claims is illegal and unethical by not disclosing its activity to users. In Amazon's cease and If AI agents shop for users, fewer consumers see paid ad placements, reducing Amazon's ad revenue. These agents can degrade the customer experience, provide inaccurate information, and violate Amazon's data gathering rules. Amazon is acting to protect its platform control and ad business by restricting unauthorized AI agents, indicating a cautious integration of AI alternatives.

Amazon and Perplexity Clash Over Deployment of Third-Party AI Shopping Agents | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Perplexity said in a Tuesday (Nov. 4) blog post that it received an "aggressive legal threat" from Amazon demanding that it prohibit the users of its Comet browser from using their AI assistants to shop on Amazon's platform. The AI startup said in its post that it will not be intimidated and will fight to ensure users can deploy agentic AI "to take control of their digital lives." "Amazon [...] forgets how it got so big," Perplexity said in its post. "Users love it. They want good products, at a low price, delivered fast. Agentic shopping is the natural evolution of this promise, and people already demand it. Perplexity demands the right to offer it." In a statement posted on its website in response to Perplexity, Amazon said that it thinks it is "fairly straightforward" that third-party applications offering to make purchases for customers from other businesses should respect businesses' decisions about whether or not to participate. "This helps ensure a positive customer experience and it is how others operate, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and airlines they book tickets with for customers," Amazon said in its statement. "Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity's Comet have the same obligations, and we've repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides," the company said. It was reported in July that Amazon was taking steps to block other companies' AI shopping tools from its website. The eCommerce giant updated the code on its site to include language that keeps out new AI agents from Google, and it took similar precautions with bots from companies like Perplexity, Anthropic and OpenAI. PYMNTS reported in September that the rise and evolution of agentic AI have compelled companies to assess both the economic potential and the associated risks of this emerging technology.

Amazon Sues Perplexity Over Its Agentic AI Shopping Tool

Amazon has filed a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, accusing the startup of using its Comet browser and associated AI agent to make purchases on the Amazon Store without authorisation according to a report by Reuters. According to the complaint, Comet accessed Amazon's e-commerce platform while disguising itself as a normal web browser, allegedly violating Amazon's Terms of Service and US federal computer access laws. However, Perplexity has rejected the claims, calling Amazon's action an act of corporate bullying. Notably, this clash marks one of the first major legal showdowns between a Big Tech company and an AI startup over how autonomous "agentic" software should operate online. In a blog post titled "Bullying is Not Innovation" published on November 4, 2025, Perplexity called Amazon's lawsuit an "aggressive legal threat" and accused the company of trying to block people from employing their AI assistants for online shopping. "This is Amazon's first legal salvo against an AI company, and it is a threat to all internet users," Perplexity said. For context, the company argues that people have the right to use their own digital assistants to perform online tasks. "Amazon announced it does not believe in your right to hire labour, to have an assistant or an employee acting on your behalf," the blog stated. "This isn't a reasonable legal position, it's a bully tactic to scare disruptive companies like Perplexity out of making life better for people." Furthermore, Perplexity described Comet as a "user agent" that operates only with user permissions, claiming it is no different from an actual personal assistant acting on behalf of the user. It also outlined three core principles for such AI assistants, namely privacy, personalisation, and power, arguing that corporations should not restrict users based on which AI tools they choose. In a public response, Amazon has said that its position is consistent with standard business practices. "We think it's fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate," the company stated. Further, Amazon compared Comet to delivery or booking apps, saying that: "This (operating openly) helps ensure a positive customer experience and it is how others operate, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers." The e-commerce company reiterated that it had "repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides". In a cease-and-desist letter dated October 31, 2025, Amazon's counsel Moez M. Kaba accused Perplexity of persistently refusing to "operate transparently" and using its AI assistant to "covertly intrude into Amazon's e-commerce websites" in violation of US' Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and the Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. Amazon alleged that Comet, Perplexity's AI assistant, was disguising itself as a Google Chrome browser to interact with its platform. According to Amazon, Perplexity's AI agents accessed user accounts, retrieved account details, and performed transactions without authorisation. The letter further stated that these actions posed security risks to Amazon's customers' private data. "Perplexity's Terms of Use and Privacy Notice grant it broad rights to collect passwords, security keys, payment methods, shopping histories, and other sensitive data... while disclaiming any responsibility for data security," the letter remarked. Amazon also claimed that Perplexity's conduct degraded the shopping experience for customers, as Comet could select products or delivery methods that were suboptimal compared to Amazon's native system. Notably, the e-commerce giant said it that had earlier flagged similar conduct in November 2024, when Perplexity allegedly used a "Buy with Pro" feature to place orders through Perplexity-managed Amazon accounts. At that time, Amazon said Perplexity agreed to stop the activity unless both sides reached mutually agreed terms. However, Amazon claims that Perplexity has resumed deploying AI agents in the store. It also accused the AI company of knowingly circumventing its security measures after restrictions were placed on Comet AI's access in August 2025. The cease-and-desist letter demanded that Perplexity immediately cease all undisclosed agentic activity on Amazon's platform. The e-commerce giant said it would "seek all available legal and equitable remedies" to prevent further violations. The dispute underscores the growing tension between major e-commerce platforms and emerging "agentic" AI tools: applications capable of acting autonomously on behalf of users. Notably, Amazon has its own AI shopping assistant, Rufus, which it began testing in early February 2024, but such platforms face new challenges as other automated agents begin performing user tasks such as searching, comparing, and purchasing products directly. Earlier this year, Perplexity was also accused by Cloudflare of using questionable methods to scrape data from websites that had blocked AI crawlers. Importantly, this episode foreshadowed potential conflicts between large web platforms and AI agents, as such technologies become more integrated into daily online activity. The current lawsuit marks one of the first major legal challenges between a major e-commerce platform and an AI company developing autonomous digital shopping agents, a case that could shape future debates on AI autonomy, platform rights, and digital access boundaries. Notably, just a day before the Perplexity dispute went to court, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and OpenAI announced a multi-year, $38 billion strategic partnership. The deal enables OpenAI to run and scale its advanced AI workloads on AWS's infrastructure. The move highlights how Amazon is deepening its role in the global AI ecosystem, even as it enforces stricter rules on how independent AI tools like Perplexity's Comet interact with its services.

Perplexity responds to Amazon's threats over AI shopping assistants By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Perplexity AI on Tuesday issued a response to Amazon, after the e-commerce giant demanded the AI company stop using AI agents to make purchases on its platform. In a statement titled "Bullying is Not Innovation," Perplexity revealed it had received what it described as "an aggressive legal threat" from Amazon, demanding prohibition of Perplexity's Comet users from using AI assistants on Amazon's website. Perplexity characterized the move as "Amazon's first legal salvo against an AI company" and "a threat to all internet users." The AI company defended its Comet Assistant feature, which allows users to find and purchase items on Amazon when logged in. Perplexity emphasized that user credentials are "stored securely only in your device, never on Perplexity's servers." Perplexity argued that Amazon's opposition stems from prioritizing advertising revenue over user experience, citing recent statements from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy to investors about the company's "return on advertising spend" and plans to "partner with 3rd party agents" in the future. The AI firm outlined three principles it believes are essential for user agents: privacy (being "indistinguishable from you"), personal service (working "for you, not for Perplexity, and certainly not for Amazon"), and capability to perform any task that matters to users. Perplexity concluded by stating it "will not be intimidated" and is "fighting for the rights of users," while suggesting Amazon has forgotten "what it's like to be our size and passionate about a world-changing product."

Tensions between Amazon and Perplexity AI over the Comet browser

On Tuesday Perplexity AI accused Amazon of intimidation after receiving a cease-and-desist letter demanding that it shut down a feature of its AI browser, Comet. The feature lets users make automated purchases on Amazon's website, which the Seattle-based group considers a violation of its terms of use. In a blog post, Perplexity defends the feature as a useful service that facilitates the online shopping experience and denounces what it calls an "aggressive legal threat." Amazon's reaction is part of a broader strategy to protect its commercial data from third-party AI tools. The group recently blocked automated access to its content for OpenAI, Alphabet and Meta. At the same time, it is developing its own AI-based solutions, including the Rufus chatbot and the "Buy For Me" agent, which has been in testing since April and allows users to order products from other sites via the Amazon app. Launched in July and available free of charge since October, Perplexity's Comet solution is a multifunctional digital assistant capable of searching the web, organizing tabs, writing emails and assisting with online purchases. The clash between the two companies highlights the growing tensions between established e-commerce platforms and new players in artificial intelligence, who are seeking to simplify the user experience, even if it means challenging traditional business models based on advertising and proprietary data.

Amazon attacks Perplexity and its shopping agent

Amazon filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Perplexity AI, accusing the startup of using its automated shopping agent to clandestinely access customer accounts and disguise its activities behind the appearance of human browsing. Wolves fighting in a pack ... The conflict illustrates a growing debate over the regulation of smart agents, increasingly autonomous AIs capable of performing online tasks on behalf of users. Perplexity, which is growing rapidly in the AI assistant market, rejects the accusations made by the e-commerce giant, which it accuses of wanting to stifle competition. The complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. In its complaint, Amazon accuses Perplexity of illegally accessing customer accounts via its Comet browser and associated AI agent, while concealing these actions behind behavior that simulates human browsing. According to Amazon, this system poses a risk to data security and violates its rules, despite several warnings. "Perplexity deliberately configured its CometAI software to mask its agent's activity in the Amazon store," the company says. "This behavior must stop. The fact that the intrusion is via computer code rather than a crowbar does not make it any less illegal." Perplexity had already denounced Amazon's legal threats, calling them an attempt at intimidation. In a blog post, the company wrote: "When big companies use legal threats to block innovation, it's called harassment." Amazon also accuses CometAI of damaging the user experience and interfering with its personalized recommendations, which are the result of decades of optimization. It points out that third-party applications must act transparently and respect the choices of platforms. Like other startups in the sector, Perplexity wants to reinvent web browsing through artificial intelligence, automating tasks such as online shopping and writing emails. Amazon is also working on similar tools, including "Buy For Me," which enables users to make cross-brand purchases from its app, and "Rufus," an AI assistant that guides customers in their choices. Comet, Perplexity's browser, acts as an assistant that can compare products and make purchases on behalf of the user. The company claims that customer credentials are stored locally, never on its servers.

Perplexity receives legal threat from Amazon over agentic AI shopping tool

(Reuters) -Perplexity AI said on Tuesday it has received a legal threat from Amazon.com demanding that the startup block the AI agent on its Comet browser from shopping on the e-commerce giant's platform on a user's behalf. The startup, which has grown rapidly amid the boom in AI assistants, rejected Amazon's claims, saying it was using its market dominance to stifle competition. Perplexity called the move a broader threat to user choice and the future of AI assistants. "Bullying is when large corporations use legal threats and intimidation to block innovation and make life worse for people," the company wrote in a blog post. Amazon said it has repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove the online retailer from the Comet experience, "particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides". Third-party apps making purchases for users should operate openly and respect businesses' decisions on whether to participate, Amazon said in a statement. The clash between Amazon.com and Perplexity highlights an emerging debate over how to regulate the growing use of AI agents and how they interact with websites. Perplexity is among many AI startups seeking to reinvent the web browser around artificial intelligence, aiming to make it more autonomous and capable of handling everyday online activities, from drafting emails to completing purchases. Amazon itself is developing similar tools, including "Buy For Me", a feature allowing users to shop across brands within its app, and "Rufus", an AI assistant that can recommend products and manage carts. The AI agent on Perplexity's Comet browser acts as an assistant that can make purchases and comparisons on behalf of users. The company said user credentials remain stored locally and never on its servers. "Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers. But Amazon doesn't care, they're more interested in serving you ads," the company said. The startup argued that users have the right to choose their own AI assistants, portraying Amazon's move as an attempt to safeguard its ad-driven business model. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

Amazon threatens Perplexity with legal action over AI agentic shopping

Amazon wants Perplexity to remove the ability for Comet to make purchases on Amazon's platform. Amazon and AI startup Perplexity are in a public dispute over AI-powered shopping. In a post, Amazon said it has "repeatedly requested" that Perplexity stop letting its Comet AI browser buy products on behalf of users. For those unaware, Perplexity's Comet browser includes an AI assistant that can search for products for you and even make purchases across different websites, including Amazon. The idea is to simplify online shopping by allowing the AI to handle the process from start to finish. However, Amazon has pushed back strongly. According to Perplexity, the tech giant sent an "aggressive legal threat" demanding that the company remove the ability for Comet to make purchases on Amazon's platform. Perplexity called Amazon's actions "bullying." Also read: WhatsApp now available on Apple Watch: Features, compatibility and how to download "Amazon should love this. Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers. But Amazon doesn't care," Perplexity said. "They're more interested in serving you ads, sponsored results, and influencing your purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers." The startup also referred to a recent remark from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who told investors last week that Amazon expects to "partner with third-party agents" in the future. Also read: Google Pixel 9a price drops by Rs 10,000 on Flipkart: Check deal details here In response, Amazon said that any third-party service that buys items on behalf of customers should "respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate." The company also criticised Comet, saying it delivers a "significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience." The clash highlights a growing tension between large tech platforms and emerging AI companies that are trying to create more automated online experiences. You can read the whole cease and desist order by Amazon here: Cease and desist letter by Amazon