Amazon's AI shopping tool lists products from retailers without consent
Amazon launched a program called Shop Direct and a 'Buy for Me' AI agent that scrapes products from other retailers' websites and lists them on Amazon without their permission. Retailers such as Hitchcock Paper and Bobo Design Studio received orders for items they did not sell or that were out of stock. Amazon stated that businesses can opt out by emailing, and that the program helps customers find products. Some retailers have accused Amazon of exploiting their businesses.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Shop Direct / Buy for Me
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Amazon overcharged school districts and local governments using opaque pricing algorithms
Senator Elizabeth Warren pressed Amazon CEO over allegations that Amazon Business uses opaque pricing algorithms and misleading contracts to overcharge school districts and local governments. An investigation found that Amazon charged some buyers up to three times as much for identical products, such as a 12-pack of Sharpie markers. The pricing is algorithm-driven and dynamic, and Amazon's group purchasing contracts with OMNIA Partners sidestep traditional competitive bidding. The overcharging is ongoing and has not been resolved.
- Company involved
- Amazon
- AI system involved
- Amazon Business
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Princeton Review charges higher SAT prep fees to Asian Americans
A ProPublica study found that Princeton Review's geographically-determined pricing system charges Asian American students almost twice as likely as other ethnicities to pay the highest prices for online SAT tutoring. The system sets prices based on location, with higher prices in areas like New York City where Asian Americans are concentrated. Princeton Review stated that prices reflect local costs and competition, but the disparity raises concerns about racial discrimination in automated pricing.
- Company involved
- Princeton Review
7 source articles · read the reporting →
ChatGPT 4o image generator used to create fake receipts
ChatGPT's new image generator, part of the 4o model, can generate realistic fake restaurant receipts. Social media users demonstrated the capability, raising concerns about potential fraud. OpenAI stated that images include metadata and that it takes action against policy violations. The company defended the feature as allowing creative freedom.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT 4o image generator
5 source articles · read the reporting →
GoLaxy Used AI to Manipulate Public Opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan
The Chinese company GoLaxy used an AI system called Smart Propaganda System (GoPro) to monitor and manipulate public opinion in Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to internal documents. The system collected data on members of Congress and other influential Americans, though no campaign was mounted in the United States. GoLaxy denied the allegations, calling them misinformation. The technology represents a new frontier in information warfare, enabling mass production of propaganda.
- Company involved
- GoLaxy
- AI system involved
- Smart Propaganda System (GoPro)
2 source articles · read the reporting →
Citizens Advice finds ethnicity penalty in car insurance pricing
Citizens Advice conducted exploratory research into car insurance pricing and found that people of colour may be paying £250 more per year than White people. The research suggests that areas with large communities of colour may be identified as more risky by algorithms, even when objective risk factors are controlled. Citizens Advice has called on the Financial Conduct Authority to investigate the issue.
9 source articles · read the reporting →
Scammers Use AI to Create Fake Joann Fabrics Websites to Steal Credit Card Data
After Joann Fabrics filed for bankruptcy in January 2025, scammers used AI to create impostor websites mimicking the retailer's site. These fake sites offered deep discounts to trick shoppers into providing credit-card information and personal data. Customers who placed orders never received products and had their payment information compromised. The incident highlights the growing use of AI by cybercriminals to create convincing fake websites.
2 source articles · read the reporting →
MAA, JBG to pay DC $9.3M total to settle RealPage case - Multifamily Dive
The system set rent prices for tenants, causing them to pay higher rents.
- Company involved
- MAA (Mid-America Apartments) and JBG Smith
- AI system involved
- RealPage Revenue Management Software
1 source article · read the reporting →
PredictiveHire builds AI to predict job hopping from interviews
PredictiveHire, an AI hiring firm, developed a machine-learning model that analyses candidates' open-ended interview responses to predict their likelihood of 'job hopping'. The company used data from 45,899 applicants to build the 'flight risk' assessment, which it advertises as coming soon. Scholars warn that such tools can suppress wages by screening out workers who might seek better pay or conditions, continuing a historical trend of using personality tests to identify potential labour organisers.
- Company involved
- PredictiveHire
- AI system involved
- Phai
1 source article · read the reporting →
Instacart removes AI-generated food images after complaints of unrealistic depictions
Instacart used AI to generate images for recipes on its website. Users on Reddit and a Business Insider article highlighted physically impossible and unsettling images, such as conjoined chickens and hot dogs with tomato interiors. Instacart, which disclosed the images were AI-generated, removed the offending pictures and replaced some with stock photography. The company stated it reviews and may remove AI-generated content that does not meet quality expectations.
- Company involved
- Instacart
1 source article · read the reporting →
Whole Foods uses heat map to track unionization risk at stores
Whole Foods, owned by Amazon, is reportedly using a heat map that scores stores on their risk of unionization. The system analyses metrics including local union membership, NLRB charges, employee compensation, diversity, and internal sentiment surveys. The tool is used to monitor and potentially prevent union organising efforts. Whole Foods stated it prefers a direct relationship with employees, while Amazon has a history of aggressively combating unionization.
- Company involved
- Whole Foods Market
1 source article · read the reporting →
Grab's surge pricing algorithm always adds fees, investigation finds
An investigation by the Pulitzer Center found that Grab's ride-hailing app in the Philippines always includes surge fees in its fares, even when wait times are long. Customers like Rica Torres reported rising costs without explanation. A complaint filed with the LTFRB in 2022 remains unresolved, and the regulator has not determined how the algorithm sets surge rates.
- Company involved
- Grab
- AI system involved
- Grab app
8 source articles · read the reporting →
Content Giants Sue Unauthorized AI, Invest in Paid Partners - 조선일보
Generated images of copyrighted characters without authorization, affecting Disney and NBCUniversal's intellectual property rights.
- Company involved
- Midjourney
- AI system involved
- Midjourney
1 source article · read the reporting →
Uber apologises for surge pricing during Sydney siege
During the 2014 Sydney Martin Place siege, Uber's surge pricing algorithm automatically raised fares by up to four times the normal rate as people tried to leave the area. The company faced heavy criticism on social media and later apologised, refunding affected customers and offering free rides. Uber acknowledged that not stopping surge pricing immediately was the wrong decision.
- Company involved
- Uber
7 source articles · read the reporting →
Instacart used AI to charge different customers different prices for same items
Instacart, a grocery delivery company, was found to have used AI pricing algorithms to charge some customers up to 23% more than others for identical products at the same location. Research by Groundwork Collaborative, Consumer Reports, and More Perfect Union, based on data from 437 shoppers, revealed price fluctuations averaging 7%. Instacart acquired the AI firm Eversight in 2022 and began experimenting with dynamic pricing. The company stated that the tests have ended.
- Company involved
- Instacart
6 source articles · read the reporting →
Moonwell loses $1.78M after AI-generated code from Claude Opus 4.6 causes oracle pricing error
DeFi lending protocol Moonwell lost $1.78 million after an oracle pricing error in smart contract code partially written by Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.6 model. The error valued cbETH at approximately $1.12 per token instead of its actual market price of nearly $2,200, triggering instant liquidations. Moonwell contained the issue by reducing the cbETH borrow cap, but users suffered catastrophic losses. The incident has sparked debate about the risks of AI-generated code in smart contracts.
- Company involved
- Moonwell
- AI system involved
- Claude Opus 4.6
4 source articles · read the reporting →
Ring's AI pet-search feature draws privacy backlash after Super Bowl ad
Ring, an Amazon company, promoted its Search Party feature in a Super Bowl advertisement, saying its AI helps reunite dog owners with missing pets. Critics said the feature, which is enabled by default, turns Ring doorbells into a mass surveillance network and could easily be adapted to track people. Ring said it had reunited 99 dogs in the US in 90 days and that customers keep full control of their data.
- Company involved
- Ring
- AI system involved
- Search Party
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Sony PlayStation Store shows different prices to different users for same game
A PlayStation user in the UK noticed that the price of Assassin's Creed Unity increased from £3.74 to £9.99 after signing into their PSN account. Sony has been using dynamic pricing, known as A/B pricing, on the PlayStation Store since November 2025, offering different prices to different users for the same game. The practice is not illegal under EU consumer protection rules, according to the European Commission.
- Company involved
- Sony
- AI system involved
- PlayStation Store
5 source articles · read the reporting →
DOJ, Pinnacle reach settlement in RealPage case - Yahoo Finance
The system recommended rent prices to landlords, affecting renters' housing costs.
- Company involved
- Pinnacle Property Management Services
- AI system involved
- RealPage
1 source article · read the reporting →
Fifa's dynamic pricing for World Cup tickets faces petition from Zohran Mamdani
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani launched a petition against Fifa's use of dynamic pricing for World Cup 2026 tickets. The pricing model, which adjusts ticket prices based on demand, is accused of putting profit before fans and making tickets unaffordable for many. Mamdani calls for an end to dynamic pricing, a cap on resale prices, and a set-aside of tickets for local residents. No response from Fifa has been reported.
- Company involved
- Fifa
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Airbnb bans users in Australia using trustworthiness algorithm
Airbnb is accused of using an algorithm acquired from Trooly to score users' trustworthiness based on publicly available data, including social media and occupation. Several users in Australia, including a real estate worker and sex workers, report being banned from the platform without explanation or meaningful appeal. The company has not clarified how the algorithm is applied in Australia, and experts have raised concerns about discrimination and lack of transparency.
- Company involved
- Airbnb
- AI system involved
- Trooly
4 source articles · read the reporting →
ChatGPT fabricates travel destinations, endangering tourists in Peru and Japan
Tourists using ChatGPT to plan trips have been given fabricated information, including a non-existent canyon in Peru that could have led to a fatal hike, and incorrect cable car times in Japan that left a couple stranded on a mountain. Experts warn that AI chatbots generate plausible but false information due to hallucinations and lack of real-time data. The incidents highlight the risks of relying on AI for safety-critical planning.
- Company involved
- OpenAI
- AI system involved
- ChatGPT
3 source articles · read the reporting →
Gas stations accused of using AI to inflate prices in California lawsuit
A class action lawsuit alleges that major gas station chains in California, including Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart, and Circle K, used Kalibrate's AI-powered pricing software to coordinate and raise fuel prices. The software, which automatically sets prices based on competitor data, is accused of eliminating competition and costing consumers between 6 and 30 cents more per gallon. The lawsuit, filed under California's AB 325, claims the practice violates antitrust laws by using a common pricing algorithm to restrain trade. The case is pending.
- Company involved
- Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart, Circle K
- AI system involved
- Kalibrate Fuel Pricing
10 source articles · read the reporting →
Geico and other insurers charge higher premiums in minority neighborhoods than in white areas with similar risk
ProPublica's analysis of auto insurance premiums in California, Illinois, Texas and Missouri found that major insurers such as Geico, Allstate and Liberty Mutual charge minority neighborhoods up to 30% more than white areas with similar accident costs. The disparity is alleged to result from pricing algorithms that may inadvertently use zip code as a proxy for race. Otis Nash, a 26-year-old Chicagoan, pays $190.69 per month for Geico insurance while a white driver in a safer neighborhood pays $54.67. The insurers deny discrimination, stating they do not collect race data.
- Company involved
- Geico
5 source articles · read the reporting →
