Perplexity's Comet agent sued for unauthorized Amazon access
Agent Accessed Protected Pages Without Clear Authorization
Amazon.com Services LLC v. Perplexity AI, Inc. centers on concrete actions taken by an autonomous agent—not theoretical risks or hypothetical scenarios. Amazon's complaint alleges that Comet, Perplexity's browser agent, accessed password-protected pages on Amazon's platform by leveraging stored user credentials without what Amazon characterizes as proper authorization under its terms of service.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, marks a rare instance of a major corporation taking legal action against an AI agent provider for real-world unauthorized system access. Amazon's legal theory rests on the claim that even when users granted Comet access to their accounts, the agent's specific behavior—including accessing nonpublic Amazon pages—violated Amazon's authorization scope and potentially the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA).
Preliminary Injunction Granted, Then Paused
On March 10, 2026, a federal judge in the Northern District of California granted a preliminary injunction against Perplexity. The order blocked Comet from accessing Amazon's logged-in user pages, representing a significant judicial finding that Amazon had demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits and irreparable harm.
However, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals later paused the injunction pending Perplexity's appellate challenge. This stay suspended the lower court's ban while the appeal proceeded, allowing Comet to continue some Amazon access during the litigation.
Appeal Filed as Legal Battle Intensifies
Perplexity filed its appellate brief on May 8, 2026, arguing against the preliminary injunction and advancing its position that Comet's actions fell within authorized use. The appeal will likely turn on whether an AI agent's automated credential use—even when initiated by a user—constitutes "authorization" under Amazon's terms and U.S. federal law.
