Amazon vs Perplexity: The Battle for the Future of AI Shopping
Amazon just sent a cease-and-desist letter to Perplexity AI, and it could shape how we all shop online in the future.
Perplexity’s new browser agent, called Comet, can browse Amazon and even make purchases automatically on a shopper’s behalf. Think of it as having an AI personal shopper that compares, selects, and buys, without you lifting a finger. Amazon didn’t like that.
The company claims Perplexity’s tool violates its terms of service by pretending to be a real user and interfering with the platform’s buying experience. Perplexity argues the opposite: shoppers should be free to let AI act for them.So why does this matter?
What it means for brands
This isn’t just a tech dispute. It’s a preview of what’s coming next.
- AI-driven shopping is real – and brands need to prepare for a world where algorithms, not people, decide what gets added to cart.
- Platform control will tighten – Amazon and others will likely restrict or license how these “shopping agents” interact with listings, data, and checkout.
- New opportunities – brands that adapt early could gain from agent-friendly listings, optimised metadata, or partnerships that make their products more “AI-discoverable.”
What it means for shoppers
AI shopping sounds exciting, convenient, fast, and personalised, but it also raises new questions:
- Transparency – who’s really making the decision: you or your AI?
- Trust – how much personal data will you hand over to let a bot shop for you?
- Discovery – will AI narrow your options to what’s most efficient, not most exciting?
The bigger picture
This clash signals a turning point. Amazon wants to protect its marketplace and user data. Perplexity wants to open up a new era of autonomous, AI-driven shopping.
For brands and marketers, it’s a reminder that the next wave of e-commerce may be powered by agents, not audiences, and those who prepare for it first will be the ones still visible when the bots start buying.
