Perplexity Wins Temporary Reprieve in Amazon Shopping Agent Dispute
Perplexity, an artificial intelligence company, has won a temporary reprieve from a court order that would have banned its shopping agent, Comet, from Amazon. A two-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the administrative order lifting the injunction on March 17, 2026.
The appellate judges emphasized that their decision is temporary and will last only until the circuit court has thoroughly examined the issue and rendered a decision on the merits. This marks the latest development in a legal battle between Perplexity and Amazon, which began in November 2025.
Amazon sued Perplexity for allegedly 'trespassing' into its server through Comet, claiming that the AI company was violating the 1986 federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The retailer alleged that Perplexity's shopping agent made purchases on users' behalf without permission, despite Amazon attempting to implement technological blocks and sending a cease-and-desist letter.
Perplexity argued in its emergency petition that its browser doesn't access Amazon for purposes of the anti-hacking law, but rather that consumers are the ones who access the retailer's servers through Comet. The company also claimed that the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act does not prohibit companies from accessing public websites like Amazon.com.