US Court Lifts Injunction Against Perplexity's AI Shopping Agents

A US federal court has lifted an injunction against Perplexity's AI browser agents, allowing them to continue purchasing goods on Amazon. This ruling comes after a preliminary injunction was issued in March, restricting the use of Comet's AI browser agents for shopping on Amazon.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Amazon is unlikely to prove a breach of the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). The court agreed with Perplexity's argument that users accessed their own Amazon accounts via the AI agent, rather than the start-up itself.

This decision marks the first ruling by a US federal court of appeal regarding AI agents accessing online platforms on behalf of users. It may influence the development of agent systems capable of independently browsing websites, comparing products, and placing orders.