Amazon.com Inc. is suing Perplexity AI Inc. to try and stop the startup from helping users buy items on the world’s largest online marketplace, setting up a showdown that may have implications for the reach of so-called agentic artificial intelligence.

“This week, Perplexity received an aggressive legal threat from Amazon, demanding we prohibit Comet users from using their AI assistants on Amazon. This is Amazon’s first legal salvo against an AI company, and it is a threat to all internet users,” Perplexity lamented in the blog post.

Amazon has sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing Perplexity AI of using its Comet browser agent to make purchases on Amazon without authorization, prompting Perplexity to fire back with a public statement alleging bullying and intimidation from the e-commerce juggernaut.

Perplexity AI's CEO Aravind Srinivas has sharply rebuked Amazon's recent legal notice against his company, declaring in a statement that "we will not get bullied." The exchange escalates tensions between the e-commerce giant and the AI startup over the use of Perplexity's AI agent, Comet, on Amazon's platform.

Amazon challenges Perplexity's AI shopping tool, citing legality and customer experience concerns. Learn more about AI, ecommerce rules, and industry impact.

Amazon has filed a federal lawsuit against Perplexity AI, escalating a growing tension over the role of artificial intelligence in