Podcast: How pricing algorithms learn to collude

Algorithms now determine how much things cost. It's called dynamic pricing and it adjusts according to current market conditions in order to increase profits. The rise of e-commerce has propelled pricing algorithms into an everyday occurrence--whether you're shopping on Amazon, booking a flight, hotel or ordering an Uber. In this continuation of our series on automation and your wallet, we explore what happens when a machine determines the price you pay. This episode was reported by Anthony Green and produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens. We're edited by Mat Honan and our mix engineer is Garret Lang, with sound design and music by Jacob Gorski. Jennifer: Alright so I'm in an airport just outside New York City and just looking at the departures board here seeing all these flights going different places… It makes me think about how we decide how much something should cost… like a ticket for one of these flights. Because where the plane is going is just part of the puzzle. The price of airfare is highly personalized.