AI agents are deciding who captures the value. Shoppers, workers and voters should have a say

Artificial intelligence agents are increasingly influencing who captures the value in commerce, prompting shoppers, workers and voters to demand a say. Amazon recently faced a legal challenge over its AI bot, which attempted to purchase items on the e-commerce platform without authorization. However, a federal judge intervened, ruling that the user, not the AI agent, was responsible for accessing Amazon's computers.

The dispute highlights the dilemma of what shoppers see and how rankings are generated by AI agents, which may favor sellers' interests over consumers'.

Recent tests revealed that the same grocery items can have varying prices when purchased through Instacart, demonstrating how AI agents can influence value. For workers, Uber's dynamic pricing algorithm demonstrated how AI can shift profits from drivers to the company, with fares increasing and driver earnings declining after the introduction of the pricing system.

The issue of AI agents capturing value is also seen in institutional matters, such as rent setting, where software vendors have an authorship and responsibility for the decisions made by the system.

European law has attempted to address these issues by requiring disclosure of AI's role in pricing and monitoring, and member states must comply by Dec. 2, 2026. The principle of competition should be maintained to prevent concentration, emphasizing that consumers have the right to choose AI agents and retain the data collected.