A U.S. federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction in favor of global tech giant Amazon (AMZN), temporarily blocking an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered shopping assistant developed by Perplexity AI from operating on Amazon’s platform.
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Forget margin or options. Here's how the pros trade AMZNThe ruling marks an early legal victory for the e-commerce giant as competition intensifies over how AI tools interact with online marketplaces and customer data.
Court Finds Evidence of Unauthorized Access by Perplexity
Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine Chesney ruled that Amazon had presented strong evidence suggesting Perplexity’s Comet application may violate key computer access laws. The decision indicated Amazon is likely to succeed on its claims under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act.
According to the ruling, the Comet browser accesses Amazon accounts with a user’s permission, but without Amazon’s authorization. The judge wrote that Amazon showed evidence that the system retrieves information from password-protected accounts and transmits that data to Perplexity’s servers to complete tasks requested by users.
Amazon also argued that Comet was configured to appear as if the activity was coming from a regular browser, such as Google Chrome, rather than clearly identifying itself as an automated AI agent.
Perplexity Claims Amazon Is Blocking Competition
Perplexity has pushed back against the allegations, arguing the lawsuit is designed to stop a competing technology rather than protect users. The private company said its AI shopping assistant allows consumers to compare prices, products, and reviews more efficiently across websites.
In its legal response, the startup claimed AI agents disrupt traditional e-commerce practices because they make purchasing decisions based on data rather than advertisements.
Amazon filed the lawsuit in November 2025 as AI-powered digital assistants began gaining traction in online shopping. Perplexity, which has reportedly attracted investment from football star Cristiano Ronaldo, was valued at about $21 billion earlier this year.
Is Amazon a Buy or Sell Right Now?
Amazon has been analyzed by 43 Wall Street analysts, with a TipRanks consensus rating of ‘Strong Buy.’ In just March, AMZN has received 82 Buy ratings, 4 Hold ratings, and 0 Sell ratings. The stock is currently trading around $213, with an average price target of $279, reflecting an upside potential of roughly 31%.
