Bigger Questions About AI, Data, and Trust

[johnblockbuster]

Even if Google’s current tools don’t enable personalized price discrimination, Owens’ broader warning resonated with many observers. As AI shopping agents become more common, critics worry Big Tech could eventually leverage vast data troves to tailor prices at an individual level, eroding the idea of fair, uniform pricing.

The debate highlights a deeper tension: companies like Google, led by Sundar Pichai, build consumer-facing AI tools while also serving advertisers and merchants. As AI agents increasingly handle shopping decisions, regulators, startups, and consumers alike will be watching closely to see whether convenience comes at the cost of transparency—and trust.

[etfs]

ai shopping agents feel convenient until you wonder who they really work for