Amazon sends legal threats to Perplexity over ‘agentic’ shopping: Report

Amazon has issued a legal threat to Perplexity, demanding the AI startup stop its Comet browser from making purchases on Amazon on behalf of users, escalating a dispute over how “agentic” AI tools interact with major e‑commerce platforms. Both companies have confirmed the confrontation.

At the heart of the row is whether an AI agent operating a browser must identify itself when acting for a user. Amazon reportedly said third‑party applications that make purchases “should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate,” adding that it has repeatedly asked Perplexity to remove Amazon from the Comet experience because it provides a “significantly degraded” shopping and customer service experience.

Perplexity has rejected Amazon’s request. In a blog post titled “Bullying is Not Innovation,” the company has argued that an agent acting on a user’s instructions has the same permissions as that user, and that credentials used to shop are stored locally on the device, not on Perplexity’s servers.

How Comet’s agent works

Comet, Perplexity’s AI‑powered browser, offers to find items and complete checkout flows—including on Amazon—on a user’s behalf.

That agentic shopping feature has been one of Comet’s headline capabilities since the browser’s summer launch for paid subscribers, followed by a wider release this autumn.

Amazon compared the situation to food delivery and travel apps that identify themselves and follow platform rules. The company has also been building its own AI shopping experiences, including the Rufus assistant inside the Amazon app, and has been piloting an agentic “Buy for Me” feature to complete purchases on third‑party sites from within Amazon’s interface.

Perplexity’s response

Perplexity framed Amazon’s stance as an attempt to restrict user choice and preserve ad‑driven merchandising. The startup has maintained that its agent improves convenience and could increase conversions, and it has pointed to comments about third‑party agent partnerships made by Amazon leadership to argue that agentic interoperability should be possible.

Q: What is ‘agentic browsing’?

Agentic browsing refers to AI tools that can autonomously perform web tasks—searching, filling forms and completing checkouts—under a user’s direction. The Amazon–Perplexity clash has crystallised the industry debate over how such agents should declare themselves and comply with platforms’ rules.

Leaders weigh in, stakes rise

Perplexity’s chief executive and co‑founder, Aravind Srinivas, has become the public face of the company’s push for agentic browsing. Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy has been cited in coverage noting prior openness to working with third‑party agents, even as Amazon has taken a firm line against Comet’s current implementation. The dispute has highlighted the collision between AI autonomy, platform policies and customer experience.

Why it matters

The outcome could set norms for how AI agents access and transact across dominant consumer platforms. Amazon has argued that transparency and the right to opt out are essential; Perplexity has countered that users should be free to delegate tasks to the agent of their choice. With both sides dug in, the episode has become a test case for the rules of AI‑mediated commerce.

Recent developments

Perplexity has made Comet available for free to all users after its paid launch in July 2025, broadening access to its agentic tools.

PayPal and Venmo users have gained early access to Perplexity’s Comet via a 12‑month Perplexity Pro trial, signalling wider distribution partnerships.

Amazon has continued rolling out AI shopping features, including “Help Me Decide” for tailored recommendations and an agentic “Buy for Me” pilot for purchases on third‑party sites.