A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily yanked the shopping privileges of Perplexity AI’s Comet browser on Amazon, blocking the tool from making purchases on users’ behalf. The court also ordered Perplexity to destroy any Amazon data it obtained from password-protected accounts, although that part of the ruling is on hold for a few days so the company can appeal. It is an early, closely watched test of how courts will handle so-called agentic AI tools operating inside logged-in websites.
What the order does
U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney issued a preliminary injunction that bars Perplexity from using any AI agents deployed through its Comet browser to access Amazon’s protected computer systems. The order also directs Perplexity to delete copies of Amazon data that those agents pulled from users’ password-protected accounts, according to Justia Dockets & Filings.
Judge's findings
Chesney concluded that Amazon is likely to succeed on its claims under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s computer-fraud statute. She wrote that Perplexity accesses the Amazon user’s permission but without authorization by Amazon, framing the dispute around who actually gets to greenlight automated access to a platform.
The judge also turned down Perplexity’s request that Amazon post a $1 billion bond, but she did grant a seven-day administrative stay so the company can seek relief from the Ninth Circuit, according to Justia Dockets & Filings.
Amazon's argument
Amazon sued in November, alleging that Perplexity’s Comet agent secretly accessed customer accounts, failed to flag that activity as automated and therefore violated Amazon’s terms of use and computer-fraud laws, TechCrunch reported.
In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson said the injunction “will prevent Perplexity’s unauthorized access to the Amazon store and is an important step in maintaining a trusted shopping experience for Amazon customers,” according to GeekWire.
Perplexity's response
Perplexity has countered that its agents operate at users’ direction and that people should be free to pick whichever AI assistant they like to help with online shopping. In a November blog post, the company blasted Amazon’s legal strategy as a bully tactic and used the post to defend agentic shopping. That statement remains archived on Perplexity’s blog.
Why it matters
Legal and tech observers say the ruling starts to sketch out a crucial line: whether third-party AI agents can operate inside logged-in accounts without the platform’s own consent. Where that line gets drawn could reshape how shoppers, retailers and ad buyers interact with AI tools that promise to handle everything from comparison shopping to one-click checkouts. Coverage across the industry has highlighted the tension among platform security, advertising economics and user choice, including reporting and analysis from Search Engine Land and other outlets.
Legal implications
Amazon’s claims rely on 18 U.S.C. § 1030, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and California Penal Code § 502. Both statutes provide civil remedies for unauthorized access to protected computer systems. The laws, and the court’s explanation of how they apply here, are public; additional background is available through resources such as Cornell’s LII and the California Legislative Information site.
What's next
The seven-day administrative stay gives Perplexity a brief window to ask the Ninth Circuit to pause the injunction while it mounts a full appeal. If the appellate court refuses to extend the stay and the district court’s order remains in place, the decision could impose real limits on how AI assistants are allowed to operate on major platforms. If a stay is granted instead, the case will likely head back to the district court for more extensive briefing and argument, according to GeekWire.
For San Francisco, home to a cluster of companies building agentic tools, this is more than just another docket entry. The outcome could influence how e-commerce, digital advertising and even basic product design handle AI that is eager to click buy now on a user’s behalf. Both sides are expected to keep the filings - and technical arguments - coming in the weeks ahead.
