Odd Lots: Some AI agents recommend more expensive products after understanding finances

Bloomberg Markets column Odd Lots released the episode "AI Agents Are Already Changing the Price of Goods" on October 26, subtitled The Future of Fair Pricing. Guest Lindsay Owens from the think tank Groundwork Collaborative stated that the history of price fraud does not support the notion that new technologies will make goods cheaper.

Owens mentioned that research from the think tank shows that some consumer-facing AI agents, after understanding users' financial situations, actually recommend more expensive products. Her new book "Gouged: The End of a Fair Price --- and What That Means for Your Wallet" discusses how companies increase charges through data collection and monitoring. This episode also covers AI agents like Meta's Muse, tech companies' claims about agents helping consumers find good deals, and methods of price fraud that existed before the advent of AI.