Perplexity AI accuses Amazon of bullying with Comet authorized risk

Perplexity AI accused Amazon of “bullying” on Tuesday after it acquired a letter from the e-commerce large demanding it stop folks from utilizing its synthetic intelligence browser Comet to make purchases on their behalf.

In a weblog put up, Perplexity stated customers can ask its Comet Assistant to search out gadgets and make purchases on Amazon, and that they “love this expertise.” However Perplexity stated it acquired “an aggressive authorized risk” from Amazon “demanding” that it put a cease to that follow.

Amazon has already taken steps in current months to forestall exterior AI brokers from crawling its web site, together with these developed by OpenAI, Google and Meta.

“Amazon ought to love this. Simpler procuring means extra transactions and happier prospects. However Amazon would not care,” Perplexity wrote. “They’re extra enthusiastic about serving you advertisements, sponsored outcomes, and influencing your buying choices with upsells and complicated gives.” 

Amazon didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s request for remark.

On the identical time that Amazon is searching for to maintain AI instruments off its website, the corporate has launched its personal choices.

Final February, it rolled out a procuring chatbot known as Rufus that may reply questions and recommend merchandise. Amazon additionally started testing an agent in April known as “Purchase For Me” that lets consumers buy some merchandise from different web sites with out leaving its app.

Perplexity is finest identified for its AI-powered search engine that offers customers easy solutions to questions and hyperlinks out to the unique supply materials on the internet. The corporate initially launched Comet in July, and it rolled out totally free worldwide in October.

Comet is meant to function a private assistant that may search the online, arrange tabs, store, draft emails and extra, Perplexity stated.

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