Perplexity overturns Amazon’s injunction on its Comet AI shopping bot
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A U.S. appeals court overturned a preliminary injunction that barred Perplexity’s Comet browser from accessing Amazon.com, ruling the AI company likely did not violate anti-hacking laws. Amazon disagreed with the decision and is evaluating next steps, while its underlying lawsuit continues in San Francisco federal court.
The Appeals Court Ruling
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the injunction against Perplexity was unwarranted because Amazon failed to show that the AI company itself accessed its servers without authorization. The court determined that Comet users, who direct the browser to visit Amazon, are the ones accessing the site, and Perplexity’s tool merely facilitates that access. The panel wrote that an injunction against conduct that likely does not violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act or California’s equivalent “would not serve the public interest.” It also concluded that any potential harm to Amazon did not justify the preliminary injunction.
Amazon’s Legal Battle
Amazon sent Perplexity a cease-and-desist letter in November 2025, alleging the startup violated a 2024 agreement to halt agentic shopping features. The company claimed Perplexity re-enabled the functionality by disguising Comet’s bot as a normal Chrome browser. Amazon sued in March 2026 and obtained the temporary injunction that has now been overturned. In a statement, Amazon said it “respectfully disagree[s] with today’s decision” and remains “confident in our case.” The company can seek a rehearing or appeal to the Supreme Court.
What's Next
Amazon has not said whether it will request a rehearing or take the case to the Supreme Court. The trial in San Francisco may set new boundaries for how AI tools interact with e-commerce platforms.
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Perplexity overturns Amazon’s injunction on its Comet AI shopping bot
