Google AI Mode shows higher product prices than regular search

A study by Product Rise suggests that Google’s AI Mode displays products at significantly higher prices than traditional Google Search. Analyzing approximately 2 million product listings in the US and UK, researchers found that when the same product appeared in both modes, the AI-powered experience showed prices that were, on average, 21.6% higher.

The study further noted that if all products from both interfaces were compared, the median price in AI Mode was $149, compared to $100 in regular search—a 49% difference. Additionally, there was very little overlap between the two systems; only 1.28% of products in the traditional search carousel appeared in AI Mode for the same query. The primary seller also differed nearly half the time, suggesting the AI is selecting different offers rather than just reordering existing ones.

Google has responded by stating it has not verified the accuracy of the study. The company emphasized that all shopping results, including those in AI Mode and standard search, are pulled from the same underlying Shopping Graph data. Google noted that shoppers can manually click into listings to compare prices across various retailers.