Amazon has urged the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to maintain an injunction that prevents Perplexity AI’s tool, Comet, from making purchases on Amazon.com. The company contends that Comet’s operations constitute a clear violation of both federal and state laws, emphasizing that the injunction is supported by substantial evidence.
The legal dispute began in November 2025 when Amazon filed a lawsuit against Perplexity AI, alleging that Comet accessed password-protected sections of Amazon’s website without authorization. Amazon argued that Comet disguised its automated activity as human browsing, thereby violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (CDAFA). In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney granted Amazon’s request for a preliminary injunction, finding that Amazon was likely to succeed on its claims under these statutes. The court noted that Comet accessed Amazon user accounts “with the Amazon user’s permission but without authorization by Amazon.” ([cooley.com](https://www.cooley.com/news/insight/2026/2026-03-17-court-finds-ai-agent-may-violate-state-federal-law-by-accessing-amazon-accounts-without-authorization?utm_source=openai))
Perplexity AI has appealed the injunction, arguing that the lower court made several errors and that Amazon’s actions aim to stifle competition to promote its own AI tools. The startup contends that Comet operates with user consent and that Amazon’s terms of service should not override a user’s decision to authorize an agent to act on their behalf. ([law360.com](https://www.law360.com/ip/articles/2461330/amazon-s-bot-ban-aims-to-stifle-ai-rivals-9th-circ-told?about=ip&utm_source=openai))
In response, Amazon maintains that its terms of service explicitly prohibit such unauthorized access and that Comet’s activities compromise the integrity of its shopping experience. The company emphasizes that the injunction is crucial to prevent further unauthorized access and to protect its customers. ([searchenginejournal.com](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/amazon-wins-preliminary-injunction-against-perplexitys-comet/569256/?utm_source=openai))
The Ninth Circuit has temporarily paused the lower court’s order, allowing Comet to continue operating on Amazon’s platform while the appeal is under consideration. This decision underscores the ongoing legal debate over the boundaries of AI agents’ access to third-party platforms and the balance between user consent and platform authorization. ([cyberscoop.com](https://cyberscoop.com/perplexity-comet-ai-shopping-agent-amazon-lawsuit-ninth-circuit-stay/?utm_source=openai))
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of agentic commerce, where AI assistants perform tasks on behalf of users. It raises critical questions about the extent to which platform operators can control access to their services and the rights of users to employ AI tools for online activities.