The fight to prevent AI from setting your prices

A growing movement in state capitals is trying to get ahead of fears that artificial intelligence will soon be able to use troves of data on every American to pinpoint exactly how much someone is willing to pay for a gallon of milk or a plane ticket. As concerns about the cost of living and anxieties about AI’s impact on everyday life continue to rise, lawmakers are pushing regulations to prevent algorithms from using personal data gathered from mobile apps, web browsers and other online tools to automatically estimate the highest price a person is willing to pay. New York and Connecticut joined Maryland in becoming the first states to pass laws on so-called surveillance pricing, with bills in New Jersey, Delaware and California being considered in the coming weeks and months. Consumer advocates want a full ban on the use of personal data combined with AI to set individualized prices, while tech industry lobbyists are pushing their own legislation that still allows data for some uses, like providing personalized discounts.