Odd Lots · Monday, October 26, 2026
Lindsay Owens notes that Expedia charges higher prices for Manhattan hotel rooms if users log on from the affluent Bay Area. Furthermore, she highlights a study showing that LLMs and AI shopping agents often recommend sponsored or more expensive products instead of the cheapest options.
“Expedia has been found to charge more for the exact same Manhattan hotel room if you log on from the Bay Area where they think you're more affluent.”
“Even when directed explicitly to go get the cheapest item, the agents rooted around in your email inbox, identified that you could indeed afford more than the cheapest option and brought back a more expensive option.”