Amazon has told Perplexity to stop letting its AI browser buy products for customers. The ecommerce giant says it has repeatedly asked Perplexity to disable the shopping feature. Perplexity fights back by calling Amazon’s move bullying.
The Dispute Over AI Shopping
According to The Verge, Perplexity’s Comet browser offers an AI feature that finds and buys products from many websites. Amazon is one of those sites. But Amazon says third-party apps that buy products should respect whether a store wants to join. Amazon claims Comet creates a poor shopping and customer service experience.
Perplexity says it got an aggressive legal threat from Amazon. The AI startup posted that Amazon should welcome easier shopping. It means more sales and happier customers. But Perplexity says Amazon cares more about serving ads and sponsored results.
What Each Side Claims
Perplexity spokesperson Jesse Dwyer told The Verge this is like a store only letting you hire shoppers who work for that store. That person is not a personal shopper but a sales associate. Perplexity also quoted Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. During an earnings call last week, Jassy said the company expects to partner with third-party agents over time.
The Bigger Picture
This fight shows the growing tension between AI assistants and traditional online stores. AI browsers want to help users shop faster and easier. But stores like Amazon built their business on ads and product placement. They want to control the customer experience.
Perplexity launched Comet as an AI-powered browser that can act on behalf of users. It can find products, compare prices, and complete purchases. Amazon’s pushback could shape how AI shopping tools work in the future. Other retailers may follow Amazon’s lead and block AI agents from their sites.
The dispute raises questions about who controls online shopping. Can AI assistants shop anywhere for users? Or can stores decide which tools can access their platforms? Both companies frame their position as helping customers. But they disagree on what good customer service looks like.
