Autonomous assistants could manipulate choices, push pricier deals, and prioritize their creators

Britain's competition watchdog says the next wave of agentic AI assistants could end up nudging people toward worse deals, manipulating choices, or quietly prioritizing the interests of the companies behind them.

In a report published Monday, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) explored the rise of so-called agentic AI, systems that go beyond answering questions and instead carry out tasks for people, such as shopping around for services, booking travel, switching providers, or managing subscriptions.

The pitch, at least from the tech industry, is that these agents could cut the time and effort required to navigate complex digital markets. But the regulator's paper reads more like a warning than a celebration.

"Greater autonomy for agents increases the consequences of errors, may heighten risks of manipulation and loss of consumer agency, and could lead to worse overall outcomes for consumers," the report notes. In plainer terms, handing ...