Court Blocks Perplexity’s AI Shopping Agent from Amazon in Early Test of ‘Agentic Commerce’

A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked an AI shopping tool developed by Perplexity AI from accessing the Amazon marketplace, marking one of the first major legal clashes over so-called “agentic commerce,” according to media reports.

Last year, Amazon sent a legal notice to Perplexity AI, demanding it stop enabling AI-driven shopping on its platform. In return, Perlexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas called Amazon a bully.

The ruling centres on Comet, Perplexity’s AI-powered browser that can act as a digital shopping assistant. The system allows users to automate tasks such as browsing products and completing purchases online without manually navigating a website. However, Amazon argued that the tool accessed customer accounts and systems without proper authorization.

U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney granted a preliminary injunction that bars Perplexity’s AI agents from accessing password-protected parts of Amazon’s site or making purchases on behalf of users while the case proceeds. The court also ordered the company to destroy any Amazon data obtained through the system.

The decision highlights a key legal question for the emerging field of agentic AI, where autonomous software agents perform tasks such as shopping, booking travel, or managing online accounts on behalf of users. In this case, the judge determined that user permission for an AI assistant does not automatically grant authorization from the platform itself.

Perplexity has pushed back against the claims, arguing that its tools act solely on behalf of users and that individuals should be free to choose their own digital assistants. The company has filed an appeal and is seeking to overturn the order.

The dispute could set an important precedent as tech companies race to build AI agents capable of conducting online transactions automatically. Retailers, meanwhile, are increasingly concerned that such tools could bypass their websites, advertising systems and customer-data pipelines.

Legal experts say the outcome could shape how AI agents interact with online platforms and determine who ultimately controls the future of AI-driven commerce.