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answer: direct
beat: ai-technology
source: 1 article · updated: August 9, 2026
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What is the browser analogy the court used in the Perplexity ruling?

The court reasoned that an AI agent acting on a user's behalf is no different from a web browser loading a page for them. Just as Safari accessing Amazon is not Apple accessing Amazon, Perplexity's agent shopping for a user is not Perplexity accessing Amazon. The user is the one who accessed the computers in both cases.

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A Federal Court Just Ruled Your AI Agent Is Legally You — Not the Company Behind It

The Ninth Circuit ruled that when an AI agent acts on your behalf, it is you accessing a website, not the AI company — a landmark first for agentic AI law.

Crashtech Editorial August 9, 2026 How AI Actually Works

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