Google AI Mode Shows Products at 21.6% Higher Prices, Study Finds

Google AI Mode uses generative AI and the company’s Shopping Graph to narrow product choices and recommend sellers, moving search from a list of options toward a curated shopping experience. That shift matters because the first price displayed can anchor a purchase decision, even when cheaper offers are available elsewhere. Product-visibility tracking platform Productrise examined whether AI Mode and traditional Google Search surface comparable products and prices.

Productrise said on Sept. 1 that it tracked more than 2 million listings across over 100,000 search results in the US and UK from Aug. 9 through Aug. 31. For matched products, AI Mode’s lead price averaged 21.6% above traditional search; across all listings, median prices were $149 and $100, respectively. Prices differed in 38.1% of matched cases, with AI Mode higher 68.4% of the time. Google said it had not verified the findings, but noted both services use the same Shopping Graph and advised shoppers to compare sellers.