Amazon has secured a temporary legal victory against AI startup Perplexity, with a US federal judge ordering the company to stop using its Comet browser’s AI shopping agent to make purchases on the Amazon marketplace.

The ruling grants Amazon a preliminary injunction preventing Perplexity’s automated agents from accessing the retailer’s platform while the broader legal dispute continues.

Amazon originally sued Perplexity in November, alleging the startup’s AI-powered browser allowed users to find and purchase items on Amazon without the company’s authorisation.

The retailer argued that Comet’s automated agents effectively scraped its platform and accessed password-protected customer accounts.

Perplexity launched the Comet AI browser last year, positioning it as a new generation of web browser capable of autonomously completing tasks online, including shopping, research and managing web services on behalf of users.

In the ruling, the judge said Amazon had presented “strong evidence” that Perplexity’s system accessed user accounts with the customer’s permission but without authorisation from Amazon itself.

Under the injunction, Perplexity must stop using its AI agents to access Amazon’s systems and destroy any Amazon data it previously collected. The order will take effect in seven days, giving the company time to appeal.

Amazon said the decision was an important step in protecting its platform and customers.

“The preliminary injunction will prevent Perplexity’s unauthorised access to the Amazon store and is an important step in maintaining a trusted shopping experience for Amazon customers,” an Amazon spokesperson said.

Perplexity, which has been rapidly expanding its AI-powered search and browsing tools, said it intends to challenge the ruling.

A spokesperson for the company said Perplexity would “continue to fight for the right of internet users to choose whatever AI they want.”

The case highlights a growing legal battle between major tech platforms and developers of so-called AI agents – automated tools designed to perform online tasks on behalf of users.

It’s been warned that the agents could significantly disrupt digital commerce and online advertising by allowing users to bypass traditional search and shopping interfaces.

For Amazon, which generated US$68.6 billion in advertising revenue in 2025, the rise of autonomous AI shopping tools poses a potential threat to its marketplace and ad business.

The legal battle between the two companies is expected to continue as courts begin defining how far AI agents can operate within other companies’ digital platforms.

The dispute comes as Amazon faces criticism over its own use of AI-driven shopping tools after being accused of listing products from independent retailers’ websites without their permission.