Some AI Agents Recommend Costlier Goods After Learning Shoppers’ Finances

Some consumer-facing AI agents recommended higher-priced products after receiving details about shoppers’ finances, Groundwork Collaborative’s Lindsay Owens said Monday, Oct. 26. The finding follows tests in which AI agents recommended pricier options to wealthier users. In those tests, wealthier fictional users received more expensive options for flights, health insurance and computer science doctoral programs in eight of 13 models.

Owens said the history of price gouging does not support assuming new technology will make goods cheaper. Her book, Gouged: The End of a Fair Price — and What That Means for Your Wallet, examines how companies use data collection and monitoring to raise charges.