How to Protect Yourself from Automated Pricing Schemes

How to Protect Yourself from Automated Pricing Schemes

From Terms of Service with Clare Duffy by CNN Podcasts

April 7, 2026 · 24 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the implications of automated pricing schemes and how consumers can protect themselves from price discrimination.

We’re all used to paying the same price as our neighbor for the same product in the same store. But that system of consistent pricing is starting to change. Using consumer data to inform AI-powered pricing algorithms, some companies have begun charging different consumers different prices for the same product. Consumer Reports policy analyst Grace Gedye shares how this algorithmic pricing could affect your finances, and if there’s anything you can do to avoid it. Terms of Service is a CNN Podcasts and Goat Rodeo production. This episode was produced by Jay Venables. At Goat Rodeo, the lead producer is Rebecca Seidel, and the executive producers are Megan Nadolski and Ian Enright. At CNN, Dan Bloom is our Senior Producer and Dan Dzula is our Technical Director. Production support from Sofía Sanchez. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Clare Duffy

Guest: Grace Gedye

Topics covered

  • automated pricing
  • consumer data
  • AI pricing algorithms
  • financial impact
  • price discrimination
  • consumer protection

Keywords

  • automated pricing
  • AI algorithms
  • consumer data
  • price discrimination
  • financial impact
  • consumer protection

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Consumer Reports, CNN Podcasts, Goat Rodeo

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