Court Blocks Amazon from Banning AI Browser from Accessing Website

A federal appeals court has ruled that an AI browser can access Amazon's website and enable users to make purchases without the retailer's permission.

The decision overturns a previous ruling by U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney, who had ordered Perplexity, the AI startup behind the Comet browser, to halt its customers' access to Amazon.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Perplexity had not violated Amazon's rights under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), a 1986 federal anti-hacking law.

Judge Milan Smith, leading the panel, said that it is the user who 'accesses' Amazon's computers, not Perplexity. He added that Perplexity had explained that any Amazon data was first transmitted to the user's computer and later relayed to Perplexity through screenshots.

Amazon issued a statement saying they respectfully disagree with the ruling but remain confident in their case and are evaluating their next steps, which could include appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.