U.S. Appeals Court Temporarily Allows Perplexity AI Bot on Amazon Marketplace
The stay was granted by a two-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which said the case requires further review before a final decision is made
A U.S. appeals court has temporarily blocked a lower court order that prevented Perplexity AI from operating its AI-powered shopping agent, Comet, on Amazon’s marketplace, marking a new development in the ongoing dispute between the two companies.
The stay was granted by a two-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which said the case requires further review before a final decision is made. Judges Eric Miller and Patrick Bumatay indicated the matter would undergo closer scrutiny in the coming months.
The conflict dates back to late 2025, when Amazon issued a cease-and-desist notice to Perplexity, objecting to its agentic technology that allows users to purchase items without directly logging into Amazon. The company argued that automated buying tools could harm customer experience and reduce advertising exposure, a key revenue driver.
Perplexity has defended its technology, accusing Amazon of attempting to stifle innovation through legal pressure. The company maintains that users—not its systems—are responsible for accessing Amazon’s platform via the Comet browser.
Amazon’s legal claims cite the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California anti-hacking statutes, alleging unauthorised system access. Perplexity disputes this interpretation, arguing the law does not prohibit interaction with publicly available websites.
Further arguments in the case are expected to be submitted in April.
