A U.S. federal judge has temporarily barred startup Perplexity from accessing Amazon‘s website through its Comet artificial intelligence browser, according to court filings. The order gives Amazon an early win in a case that tests how far AI agents can go in navigating major consumer platforms without formal permission.
Ruling Centers on Unauthorized Access Claims
In a ruling dated Monday, U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney said Amazon provided “strong evidence” that Comet accessed Amazon’s site at a user’s direction but without authorization. The judge wrote that Amazon showed a likelihood of success on the merits of its claim, supporting a preliminary injunction that blocks Comet’s access while the case proceeds.
The decision includes a one-week stay to allow Perplexity to appeal.
Amazon Cites Costs, Security, and Ad Integrity
Amazon sued Perplexity in November, alleging the startup took steps to “conceal” its AI agents so they could continue scraping Amazon’s site without approval. Amazon argued the agents posed risks because they could operate inside protected systems, including private customer accounts requiring a password.
Chesney also cited Amazon’s evidence that it spent more than $5,000 responding to the issue, including employee time to build tools that would block Comet from accessing internal customer tools and prevent future unauthorized access.
Amazon additionally argued that AI-driven activity can distort its advertising systems by generating automated traffic that must be identified and filtered so advertisers are billed only for legitimate human impressions. The company said that requirement forces changes to detection and measurement systems.
Company Responses and Broader Context
An Amazon spokesperson said the preliminary injunction is an important step to maintain “a trusted shopping experience” and that the company plans to continue pursuing its case in court.
Perplexity said it will continue to fight for what it described as the right of internet users to choose their preferred AI tools. The startup has characterized Amazon’s lawsuit as a “bully tactic.”
The dispute lands as Amazon tightens restrictions on AI agents across its shopping properties while expanding its own tools, including Rufus, a shopping assistant integrated into Amazon’s website and app.