In November 2025, Amazon sued Perplexity in the U.S. District Court, claiming its agentic AI violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) by accessing Amazon accounts without authorization. A preliminary injunction was granted in March 2026. The case raises critical questions about AI’s legal accountability for actions taken on behalf of users. It draws parallels to prior significant cases, like LinkedIn’s fight with hiQ Labs, where the court ruled that accessing a service after authorization doesn’t always constitute a CFAA violation. Amazon alleges Perplexity violated CFAA standards by masking its digital identity, yet the distinction lies in that Perplexity only accessed accounts with user permission. The legal focus may need to shift from the CFAA to contractual disputes or state laws. As courts grapple with AI autonomy, this case could set important precedents in digital liability for AI behavior.
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