Amazon sues Perplexity, alleging Comet browser unauthorized access to customer accounts. The company files a federal lawsuit against Perplexity Comet, submitted November 5, 2025, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, following a cease-and-desist letter dated October 31, 2025. Amazon claims the browser unauthorized access involved misappropriation of Prime membership benefits and that Comet disguised itself as Google Chrome to evade detection.[1][2][3]
Legal Allegations and Core Claims
Amazon alleges that Comet violates the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and California’s Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act by accessing customer accounts without authorization. The complaint states that Comet “purposely configured its code to not identify the Comet AI agent’s activities.”[4][5][6]
Amazon specifically alleges that Perplexity misappropriated Prime membership benefits through accounts controlled by Perplexity, enabling unauthorized purchases. The lawsuit also claims that Comet disguised itself as Google Chrome to evade Amazon’s detection systems.[7][8]
Timeline of Violations and Escalation
Late 2024 marked the first detected unauthorized activity when Perplexity’s “Buy with Pro” feature placed orders through Perplexity-controlled Amazon accounts. Perplexity initially agreed to cease the activity.[9][10]
In August 2025, Amazon identified renewed automated activity disguised as Google Chrome. After Amazon implemented security blocks, Perplexity allegedly released code updates within 24 hours to bypass protections. This cycle continued through October 2025.[11][12]
On October 31, 2025 (Friday), Amazon sent a cease-and-desist letter with a November 3 compliance deadline. When Perplexity did not comply, Amazon filed its lawsuit on November 5, 2025.[13][14]
Amazon’s Competitive Position in AI Shopping
Amazon operates Rufus, its own AI shopping agent that reached 250 million customers in Q3 2025. Shoppers using Rufus are 60 percent more likely to complete purchases, indicating strong market adoption. This context reveals Amazon is protecting its competing product, not philosophically opposing AI agents.[15][16][17]
Perplexity’s Defense and Market Expansion
Perplexity published “Bullying Is Not Innovation,” characterizing Amazon’s action as competition elimination. The company maintains that Comet operates as a user agent with account holder permissions and that credentials are stored locally on user devices.[18][19]
Kent Byrnes, Perplexity’s Vice President of Legal, stated: “Amazon wants a monopoly on automated shopping agents. This is about user freedom and the future of internet commerce.”[20]
| Development | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Comet Android beta launch | November 5-6, 2025 | Aggressive expansion during lawsuit[21] |
| Snap partnership announcement | November 6, 2025 | $400 million deal shows investor confidence[22] |
| Snap stock surge | November 6, 2025 | Market rose 16-18 percent on announcement[23] |
Related Legal Disputes and Pattern of Access
Perplexity faces additional challenges related to data access practices:
- Cloudflare incident (August 2025): Removed Perplexity from verified bot list for stealth crawling[24]
- Reddit lawsuit (October 2025): Alleges Perplexity scraped content despite May 2024 cease-and-desist[25]
- Reddit sting operation: Test post showed 40-fold citation increase after cease-and-desist[26]
Current Status and Legal Implications
As of November 7, 2025, neither party has indicated settlement discussions. The case raises fundamental questions about autonomous AI operations in commercial environments and whether AI agents must disclose their identity to platforms.[27][28]
Amazon files federal lawsuit against Perplexity, alleging Perplexity Comet browser unauthorized access to customer accounts. The complaint was filed November 5, 2025, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, following a cease-and-desist letter dated October 31, 2025. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated the company expects to work with third-party AI agents that meet service standards. Court filings indicate Amazon seeks an injunction preventing Perplexity platform access until compliance is demonstrated.
