Google discovering that AI search may quietly steer shoppers toward higher prices is a fun twist: first search results became ads, then ads became recommendations, and now recommendations apparently have a concierge fee. At this rate, AI powered shopping just means your wallet gets the hallucination.

Oh look, they finally found a way to make AI profitable! (It’s just scamming people again)

i would have thought this was exactly the intention

They’ve also ruined Google Maps by attempting to “optimize” it with AI

I use a navigation app constantly for work.

A month or two ago Google Maps started doing this thing where it would take me to the incorrect address on the same street as the address I was actually looking for.

Yesterday I put in an address, and it named the destination pin the correct address, but the pin wasn’t even on the same side of the city as the street I knew I was going to.

It used to work flawlessly. What the fuck are they thinking?

Anyway, I deleted that shit. Using Apple Maps until I find a FOSS navigation app I like.

This dystopia is terrible.

Next: AI knows your income level so it automatically raises prices to match.

Then: someone comes up with an income spoofing service for shopping. For a fee, of course.

Then: you have to add an income verification to browse internet shopping.

This isn't just google; it's a new grift using the internet overall. I look something up online at the grocery store website, they put a lot of focus on you should order online and pick it up. I go to the store and it's cheaper than the online price for the same store. We're all getting played.

All AI is to big tech is a way to swindle and control you. Cast them into the sea.

What are you talking about? There's no way that Google could profit from that.......... /s

tenbluelinks.org solves that pesky AI problem. Load up the google web search and then use the element picker in uBO to remove the ai links on the search page and presto! Better searches and results.

i noticed they already restricting google reviews for locations, to a login popup.

One more reason to get off the net.

I don’t understand. When you click through to buy something from the retailer, does the price then show as normal? Google Search isn’t a storefront, so I don’t understand how this is actually impacting people’s pocketbooks, outside of anchoring items at a higher price in their mind or something. Either way it’s shitty on Googles part and fuck them, but i don’t understand.

Oh are they finally finding a wage approach profitability? I got to say, literally just scamming shoppers was...not at the bottom of my list.

They didn't expect this one weird trick!

Q: How can people find the lowest $/unit on groceries and not spend so much?

A: https://share.google/aimode/IcNHP23xmFuo69O1O

Pichai, you fucking banchode.