Amazon Investigates Perplexity AI for Unauthorized Content Scraping
Amazon is investigating claims that the AI startup Perplexity AI has been scraping content from various websites, including major news sites, without permission.
Amazon spokesperson Samantha Mayowa confirmed that the company is reviewing information from a WIRED investigation. The report suggested that Perplexity AI might be accessing content from websites that have blocked such activities. Perplexity AI relies on servers provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
Mayowa stated, "Amazon’s terms of service prohibit abusive and illegal activities, and our customers are responsible for complying with those terms. We routinely receive reports of alleged abuse from various sources and engage our customers to understand those reports."
In response, Perplexity AI spokesperson Sara Platnick said the company has verified that its services are not violating AWS terms of service.
Perplexity AI, a San Francisco-based AI search startup, has attracted significant attention from tech investors, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. However, recent plagiarism accusations have put the company under scrutiny.
The controversy began when Perplexity AI was accused of publishing a news summary with content and wording similar to a Forbes investigative story, without proper citation or permission. Forbes later identified more instances of content being used without authorization.
Additionally, The Associated Press reported that another Perplexity AI product created fake quotes attributed to real people.
In response, Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas defended the company, stating, "We never ripped off content from anybody. Our engine is not training on anyone else’s content." He explained that the company's technology aggregates content generated by other companies' AI systems.
However, Srinivas acknowledged the need for better source attribution, saying, "It was accurately pointed out by Forbes that they preferred a more prominent highlighting of the source." He assured that sources are now being highlighted more prominently.
Amazon's review is ongoing, and the outcome will determine if any further actions are needed to ensure compliance with their terms of service.
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