Court restricts Perplexity’s AI shopping bot from accessing Amazon

Perplexity AI should cease utilizing its Comet browser agent to make purchases on Amazon. A federal choose sided with Amazon in an early ruling over AI procuring bots.

Why we care. The case targets a core promise of AI brokers: finishing duties like procuring on a consumer’s behalf. If courts limit how brokers entry websites, AI brokers might face strict limits when interacting with logged-in accounts on main web sites.

What occurred. U.S. District Choose Maxine Chesney granted Amazon a preliminary injunction Monday in San Francisco federal courtroom.

• The order blocks Perplexity from utilizing its Comet browser agent to entry password-protected elements of Amazon, together with Prime subscriber accounts.
• Chesney wrote that Amazon introduced “sturdy proof” that Comet accessed accounts “with the Amazon consumer’s permission however with out authorization by Amazon.”
• The ruling additionally requires Perplexity to destroy any Amazon knowledge it beforehand collected.

Catch-up fast. Amazon sued Perplexity in November, accusing the startup of pc fraud and unauthorized entry. The corporate mentioned Comet made purchases from Amazon on behalf of customers with out correctly figuring out itself as a bot.

What’s subsequent. The order is paused for one week to permit Perplexity to enchantment.

What they’re saying. Amazon spokesperson Lara Hendrickson advised Bloomberg (subscription required) the injunction “will forestall Perplexity’s unauthorized entry to the Amazon retailer and is a crucial step in sustaining a trusted procuring expertise for Amazon prospects.”