Ninth Circuit Court Allows Perplexity AI Shopping Bot on Amazon

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a preliminary injunction that had prevented Perplexity AI from allowing its AI shopping bot to make purchases on Amazon's platform via the Comet browser. The court determined that Amazon is unlikely to succeed in claiming that Perplexity violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, ruling that the users, not the AI company, are the parties accessing Amazon's servers.

The legal dispute originated in late 2025 when Amazon alleged that Perplexity's AI agents unlawfully accessed password-protected accounts and ignored requests to cease operations. A lower court had initially granted the injunction in March 2026, but the recent reversal enables Perplexity to resume offering its AI-powered shopping features while the broader lawsuit proceeds.

Amazon.com, Inc. stated it disagrees with the court's decision and is currently evaluating its next steps. Perplexity AI characterized the ruling as a victory for the rights of internet users to select their preferred AI tools.