Amazon and AI startup Perplexity are in a public dispute over AI-powered shopping. In a post, Amazon said it has “repeatedly requested” that Perplexity stop letting its Comet AI browser buy products on behalf of users. For those unaware, Perplexity’s Comet browser includes an AI assistant that can search for products for you and even make purchases across different websites, including Amazon. The idea is to simplify online shopping by allowing the AI to handle the process from start to finish.
However, Amazon has pushed back strongly. According to Perplexity, the tech giant sent an “aggressive legal threat” demanding that the company remove the ability for Comet to make purchases on Amazon’s platform. Perplexity called Amazon’s actions “bullying.”
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“Amazon should love this. Easier shopping means more transactions and happier customers. But Amazon doesn’t care,” Perplexity said. “They’re more interested in serving you ads, sponsored results, and influencing your purchasing decisions with upsells and confusing offers.”
The startup also referred to a recent remark from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who told investors last week that Amazon expects to “partner with third-party agents” in the future.
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In response, Amazon said that any third-party service that buys items on behalf of customers should “respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate.” The company also criticised Comet, saying it delivers a “significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience.”
The clash highlights a growing tension between large tech platforms and emerging AI companies that are trying to create more automated online experiences. You can read the whole cease and desist order by Amazon here: Cease and desist letter by Amazon
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