E-commerce giant Amazon has issued a legal notice to block Comet, the new browser agent from its AI search startup Perplexity AI, from shopping on its platform. This incident marks one of the first major clashes between AI shopping bots and major platforms. Amazon accuses Perplexity of fraud and violating its terms of service, while Perplexity calls the incident “bullying.”
Why did Amazon take legal action against its AI shopping bots?
The notice Amazon sent to Perplexity AI focuses on Comet’s attempts to conceal its bot identity and pose as a human shopper while shopping on behalf of users. Amazon claims this violates its terms of service, significantly disrupts the shopping experience, and poses privacy risks. Amazon also states that Comet negatively impacts its customer service experience. The company had previously warned Perplexity in November 2024 to stop using its AI agents for shopping until a settlement was reached, but Perplexity’s Comet agent continued to perform shopping in August 2025 by impersonating the Chrome browser.
Perplexity AI responded to Amazon’s move with a scathing blog post. Titled “Bullying is not innovation,” the company dismissed Amazon’s demands as “legal bullying” and baseless allegations. Perplexity argues that Amazon’s true goal is to suppress user rights and protect ad revenue from search results. It also describes Comet as a personal “agent” acting on the user’s behalf with their consent, not a browser bot. The company maintains that these agents operate with user credentials and should not be discriminated against by websites.
This dispute sets an important precedent for how autonomous AI agents (agent browsers) like Comet, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Atlas, and Opera Neon should operate online. These agents have the potential to revolutionize the user experience by automating complex tasks like filling out forms, booking travel, and even purchasing products. However, major platforms like Amazon see their own ad-based revenue models and control at risk. This conflict is being considered the beginning of a critical debate about competition, user choice, and the power of major platforms for the future of technology.
So, what are your thoughts on AI shopping bots? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
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