Amazon has issued a legal threat to AI startup Perplexity, demanding the removal of its new browser Comet from the web. According to Amazon, the browser breaches the company’s terms of service because its built-in agent can make purchases on behalf of users — a feature Amazon claims must be explicitly disclosed.
Both companies have confirmed the dispute. Perplexity described Amazon’s actions as “corporate intimidation,” publishing a blog post titled “Bullying Is Not Innovation.” The startup argues that its AI agent merely executes tasks for human users and should therefore be treated as an extension of the customer, not a separate entity.
Amazon, however, insists that all third-party agents must identify themselves as acting on a customer’s behalf. The company compared Comet to online travel agencies and delivery services, which are required to operate transparently. It warned that failure to comply could lead to the browser’s removal from Amazon’s ecosystem.
Perplexity countered that the real reason behind Amazon’s complaint lies in its commercial interests — specifically, the launch of its own AI shopping bot, Rufus. The startup claims Amazon aims to limit competition and preserve control over ad traffic and product promotions.
Industry analysts say the case could set a major precedent for the entire AI-agent sector. If tech giants begin blocking independent AI assistants, the vision of fully automated online shopping could face serious setbacks.
This controversy follows a similar dispute between Perplexity and Cloudflare earlier this year, where Perplexity was accused of scraping websites against their access policies — an allegation the company denied, calling its methods “no different from standard browsers.”
The outcome of this conflict could redefine how digital agents interact with commercial platforms — and who ultimately controls the future of AI-driven commerce.
