By PPC Land
Publication Date: 2026-04-05 02:27:00
Perplexity AI this week filed its opening brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, arguing that a preliminary injunction won by Amazon in March relies on a fundamental misreading of federal computer fraud law and, if left in place, would let internet platforms use criminal statutes to block competing technology their own users choose to install.
The 96-page brief, filed under case number 26-1444 and dated April 1, 2026, was prepared by Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP and presents three core arguments for reversal: that Amazon is unlikely to prevail on the merits of its claims under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) and California’s equivalent statute; that the district court improperly collapsed the separate legal tests for injunctive relief into a single merits finding; and that the lower court abused its discretion by refusing to require Amazon to post a bond.
Background: the Comet browser and the Assistant
Perplexity, founded in 2022, launched its Comet browser on July 9, 2025, initially restricting access to subscribers of its $200-per-month Max plan. The browser was made broadly available on October 2, 2025, after millions joined a waitlist during a three-month restricted period.
Building Comet was a significant undertaking. According to the brief, Perplexity acquired browser company Sidekick and assembled a team of nearly 100 engineers, researchers, and specialists – the largest team Perplexity had ever…
