This definitely caught my attention more so than most other AI occurrences.
Amazon has reportedly sent a legal threat to Perplexity AI over its new “Comet” agent. An AI shopping assistant capable of browsing Amazon, comparing products, and even making purchases on behalf of users, not just a simple search and returning results.
Perplexity says it’s innovation and it surely is right?
Amazon says it’s automation disguised as a person, which for them is a big issue.
The accusations go beyond simple competition, which is both understandable with both firms near the front of the AI race.
Amazon claims Perplexity’s agents are interacting with its marketplace while “posing as human users,” breaching its terms of service. In contrast, Perplexity’s CEO has hit back hard, accusing Amazon of “bully tactics” and arguing that “bullying is not innovation.”. Bullying certainly isn’t condusive to innovation sit it? But Surely Amazon’s Terms of Service should be respected? I mean afterall, I don’t remember the last time iTunes was used to make a nuclear weapon? (If you know you know 😂)
At the heart of this is a huge question/issue. Should AI agents acting on your behalf have the same rights as you when using online services or should platforms reserve the right to block/limit the use of them?
It’s not just a legal dispute. It’s a fight for the future of agentic AI, which people have all agreed is the direction we’re currently trending in. The kind of AI that can act, not just advise. If platforms like Amazon block these systems, we risk a future where only the biggest incumbents control which AIs get access to digital ecosystems and the startup ecosystem could vanish forever within AI.
This is one of the first big tests of what happens when AI agents start behaving like users, and platforms push back.
Certainly looking forward to the outcome!
#ArtificialIntelligence #AgenticAI #PerplexityAI #Amazon #AIInnovation
Chief Executive | Digital Marketing Enthusiast @ Kiaos Marketing Pvt Ltd
2wOn the contrary, should not the AI tool take its partners along before releasing it to the public? Needs to ironed out beforehand