California drivers sue major gas companies for alleged AI-price fixing

California drivers claim they were taken for a ride at the pump — and they’re blaming AI.

BP, Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart and several other major gas station operators were hit with a class-action lawsuit Monday accusing them of using an artificial intelligence-driven pricing tool to illegally jack up gas prices across the Golden State, according to Reuters.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Sacramento, alleges the companies used a tool from pricing software firm Kalibrate to gather data from competing stations and “coordinate high prices” in violation of California’s main antitrust law, the Cartwright Act.

The drivers also claim the alleged scheme violated Assembly Bill 325, a new California law that took effect Jan. 1 that was designed to crack down on algorithmic price fixing.

“While families struggle to afford the commute to work, defendants have conspired to put an end to competition, joining an AI-powered trust to ensure that no matter where a driver turns, the price for gasoline is artificially high,” the complaint said.

The suit names several gas giants and station operators as defendants, including BP, Circle K, Marathon Petroleum, 7-Eleven, Walmart and Albertsons, in addition to Kalibrate.

The defendants collectively operate more than 1,700 gas stations across California, according to the complaint.

The drivers claim gas prices have climbed by as much as 30 cents per gallon in markets where large numbers of stations use the Kalibrate tool.

The complaint claims that every additional cent per gallon adds up to cost California motorists an extra $134 million per year — with pump prices in some areas reaching “astronomical” levels as high as $7 per gallon.

California drivers already pay the highest gas prices in the nation, with a gallon of regular gas averaging $5.58 per gallon compared to the national average of $3.93, according to AAA figures.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for drivers who allegedly overpaid for gas.

The defendants either did not immediately respond to requests for comment or declined to comment, Reuters reported.

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