Perplexity Comet AI Browser Blocked: Amazon Wins Preliminary Injunction in 2026 AI Shopping Bot Case

Perplexity Comet AI Browser Blocked: Amazon Wins Preliminary Injunction in 2026 AI Shopping Bot Case

Amazon has secured a preliminary injunction against Perplexity’s Comet AI browser, banning its AI shopping agent from accessing Amazon’s platform — a landmark ruling in the 2026 legal battle over AI-driven commerce. The San Francisco federal court found that Comet’s automated browsing and purchasing tools violate Amazon’s terms of service and constitute unauthorized access to protected systems.

How Comet AI Worked Before the Ban

Perplexity’s Comet AI browser used advanced AI agents to simulate human behavior, browsing Amazon’s site to compare prices, track inventory, and even complete purchases on behalf of users. Unlike traditional bots, Comet masked its identity to bypass anti-bot protections, gathering real-time data like personalized pricing and stock levels — all without explicit consent.

Amazon’s Legal Arguments

Amazon’s legal team argued that Comet’s actions disrupted site performance, compromised customer privacy, and undermined fair marketplace practices. The company emphasized that its terms of service explicitly prohibit automated scraping and non-human access to password-protected or transactional areas. Reuters reported that Amazon presented evidence of over 200,000 suspicious requests traced to Comet users in just 30 days.

Perplexity’s Defense and User Impact

Perplexity claimed Comet empowered users by automating tedious shopping tasks, helping them save time and money. The company argued its service was opt-in and transparent — users initiated actions and received summaries of results. However, courts have increasingly viewed AI intermediaries as extensions of the user, not protected tools — a key legal distinction in this case.

What This Means for AI Startups and E-Commerce

This injunction sets a powerful precedent: even well-intentioned AI shopping assistants may be deemed illegal if they interact with protected web areas. Legal experts warn that similar tools in travel, finance, and retail could face identical scrutiny. The FTC has signaled it’s closely watching this case, with new AI transparency rules expected later in 2026.

The Future of AI Shopping Bots: Innovation vs. Platform Sovereignty

With one week to appeal, Perplexity is reportedly reengineering Comet to operate only on public-facing, non-transactional pages — a move that could severely limit its utility. Meanwhile, Amazon has ramped up bot detection, deploying AI-driven traffic analysis to identify and block similar services.

The core conflict remains unresolved: Should AI agents be treated as users — or as tools that must be confined to open web surfaces? As AI becomes more sophisticated, platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and Target are drawing legal lines. This case may become the defining moment for AI in e-commerce.

Stay tuned — the outcome of Perplexity’s appeal could reshape how AI interacts with every major online store in 2026 and beyond.