California drivers sue gas stations for allegedly using AI to inflate prices

California drivers filed a lawsuit on Monday against gas station operators including BP, Circle K, Marathon, 7-Eleven, Walmart, and Albertsons, alleging the use of artificial intelligence to inflate gasoline prices. The proposed class action lawsuit claims that the defendants violated California's Cartwright Act, the state's primary antitrust law. The core accusation is that these companies employed an AI-based tool that analyzes data from competing gas stations to coordinate higher prices, thereby extracting more money from consumers. This legal action highlights concerns about the potential for AI to be used in anticompetitive practices within the retail fuel market. The lawsuit seeks to hold these major retailers accountable for alleged price manipulation facilitated by advanced technology.