Amazon has issued a cease-and-desist order to Perplexity, directing the company to withdraw its Comet agentic browser from Amazon’s online store. The e-commerce giant said the AI-powered shopping assistant repeatedly violated its terms of service by failing to identify itself as an automated agent while operating on the platform.
The dispute marks Amazon’s first legal action against an AI company, raising questions about how agentic systems interact with online marketplaces. Amazon argued that third-party bots conducting purchases on behalf of users must disclose their identity and follow participation rules, while Perplexity, backed by major Silicon Valley investors, claims its AI acts within user permissions.
The confrontation underscores growing tensions between AI agents and major e-commerce platforms, as automation reshapes online retail and platform governance.
