After sparking widespread social attention and regulatory investigations, the delivery giant Instacart officially announced on Monday that it would end its controversial AI pricing test. The company promised in a blog post: "Now, if two families buy the same item at the same time from the same store, they will see the exact same price."

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Controversial Issue: "Same Product, Different Prices" Caused by AI Algorithms

Previously, Instacart used Eversight AI technology, which it acquired in 2022, to allow retailers to show different price options for the same product to different users. Although Instacart claimed these tests never relied on personal data, demographic information, or shopping behavior, this "same store, different prices" phenomenon sparked strong consumer dissatisfaction.

External Pressure: Legislative Attention and FTC Investigation

This policy shift is closely related to external pressure:

  • Research Exposé: Studies released by organizations such as Consumer Reports confirmed Instacart's price differences.

  • Political Intervention: Senator Chuck Schumer wrote to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), emphasizing that consumers have the right to know whether they were included in the pricing test.

  • Regulatory Action: Reuters reported that the FTC has launched an investigation into this pricing test. In addition, Instacart recently reached a $60 million settlement to resolve allegations of deceptive practices, including false claims about "free shipping."

Future Adjustments and Restrictions

Instacart clearly stated that retailers will no longer be allowed to use Eversight AI technology for such price testing. However, retailers will still retain the right to adjust product prices based on the specific geographic location of each store.

The company admitted that this move is the result of listening to customer feedback and acknowledged that the previous tests indeed failed to meet the expectations of some customers regarding fairness and transparency.