U.S. Crackdown on AI-Driven Pricing Practices Expands

The U.S. Department of Justice has warned that companies misusing algorithmic pricing tools could face criminal charges. The warning comes as California’s Assembly Bill 2564, aimed at curbing “surveillance pricing,” moves toward a final vote, while Maryland, Colorado and Connecticut have already enacted bans on certain dynamic‑pricing practices. Senator Elizabeth Warren and other lawmakers are pressing federal agencies to act against exploitative pricing that harms low‑income consumers.

In Philadelphia, the city’s 2024 ordinance banning the use of artificial‑intelligence algorithms to set rental prices is being tested in court. Three lawsuits allege that property‑management firms such as Willow Bridge Property Company and RealPage used AI software to gather competitor data and coordinate rent levels, violating the ban. The cases could set a precedent for how municipalities and states regulate AI‑driven pricing in housing and other sectors.