AI bots can shop for you. But should we trust them?

Cost of Living by CBC

Jun 19, 202600:27:15Business

AI agents can do all sorts of tasks for us — including shopping — but how do we know the bots are working for us, and not the company that made them? Plus, we ask if 99 cent price tags are finally being phased out, and m...

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from Cost of Living.

Why do we board planes front to back?

Sep 4, 2026 - 00:27:40

It's our Labour Day Q & A show! We're tackling some questions you posed — like, why are vitamin bottles s...

We can't stop talkin' tariffs. But do Americans care?

Aug 28, 2026 - 00:27:43

Canadians have to pay attention to the trade war — the majority of our exports go to the U.S. But what do...

After the trade deal collapse, what now?

Aug 22, 2026 - 00:27:37

At the last minute, trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. have fallen apart. Now, with 50 per ce...

Why the siren call of the ice cream truck is hard to resist

Aug 14, 2026 - 00:27:41

Craving a popsicle? Boxes of 'em are available at the grocery store. So why do we run for the ice cream t...

Guns vs. Butter

Aug 7, 2026 - 00:27:43

Should Canada invest in guns (defence)? Or butter (schools, roads, hospitals)? Military spending is alrea...

Is Canada really poorer than Alabama? (Encore Edition)

Jul 31, 2026 - 00:27:18

Sure, if you compare our economies based on GDP per capita. But is GDP per capita the best way to measure...

Why some prices go up when others go down (Encore Edition)

Jul 24, 2026 - 00:27:41

The price of services, like haircuts, is climbing, but the price of some goods, like microwaves, is dropp...

Are critical minerals over-hyped? (Encore Edition)

Jul 17, 2026 - 00:27:14

Many see critical minerals as an untapped resource and major economic opportunity for Canada. But could t...