Consumer Watchdog Raises Alarm Over Google’s AI Shopping Plans

[johnblockbuster]

Concerns flared this week after Google announced its Universal Commerce Protocol for AI-powered shopping agents. Lindsay Owens, executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative, warned that the protocol could open the door to what she called “surveillance pricing.”

Owens argued that Google’s roadmap includes features like “personalized upselling” and pricing adjustments tied to loyalty or new-member programs, raising fears that AI systems could analyze user chats and behavior to nudge consumers toward higher prices based on what they’re willing to pay.

[lingriiddd]

ai shopping agents quietly turning into price discrimination machines is scary