A corporate dispute between e-commerce giant Amazon and artificial intelligence startup Perplexity is escalating, signaling a foundational battle over the future of automated shopping, user control, and the digital marketplace’s economic models.
Amazon sent a cease and desist letter demanding that Perplexity’s AI browser agent, Comet, halt its practice of making purchases on the Amazon platform on behalf of users. The move challenges the boundaries of AI integration in online commerce.
Amazon accuses Perplexity of computer fraud, alleging that the agent degrades the shopping experience, creates privacy vulnerabilities, and violates its terms of service. The e-commerce giant explicitly forbids “any use of data mining, robots or similar data collection and extraction tools.”
Perplexity has countered by asserting that user-designated AI agents should possess the same rights and responsibilities as human shoppers. The startup has accused Amazon of attempting to intimidate smaller competitors and restrict user choices to safeguard its advertising revenue.
The conflict is complicated by existing business ties; Perplexity is a significant client of Amazon Web Services (AWS), with commitments totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Furthermore, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has personally invested in Perplexity.
The dispute first surfaced in November 2024 when Amazon requested Perplexity to pause the deployment of purchasing agents, a request the AI firm initially complied with. However, by August 2025, Perplexity launched a new version of Comet that logged into user accounts, identifying itself as a standard Google Chrome browser.
When Amazon attempted to block these automated actions, Perplexity reportedly released an updated version of its agent designed to circumvent the security measures. Amazon stated that Perplexity’s lack of transparency about the agent’s identity negatively impacted customer service and created privacy risks.
Perplexity has stated that Comet does not train on or collect information from Amazon’s platform. Instead, it only executes precise actions necessary to complete purchases as directed by the user.
Meanwhile, Amazon is also developing its own AI shopping tools, including a “Buy For Me” feature and the “Rufus” assistant. However, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has publicly described the current AI agent shopping experience as “not good” due to issues like lack of personalization and inaccurate delivery estimates.
A key economic concern for Amazon is the potential impact on its lucrative advertising business. If automated agents facilitate purchases without relying on prominent advertisements, the value of these ad placements could diminish significantly.
The “computer fraud” accusation could instigate legal consequences or regulatory investigations. This clash is viewed by some as an early indication of a broader industry debate surrounding automated agents performing complex tasks across the web.
Perplexity has faced prior criticism, including accusations from publishers of using their content without permission in AI news summaries. It has also faced scrutiny over alleged controversial data collection from platforms like Reddit.
The resolution of this dispute could come through technical or commercial agreements that regulate how AI agents operate and identify themselves. Alternatively, it could escalate into litigation or require intervention from regulatory bodies, setting precedents for the global e-commerce sector.