Can AI Price-Matching Between Gas Stations Be Illegal?

A California lawsuit alleges that BP, Marathon, 7-Eleven, Walmart, and others used similar AI tools to inflate gas prices by up to 22 cents per gallon. The legal question: does using the same pricing software independently—without talking to competitors—count as illegal price-fixing? U.S. courts haven't ruled on this before. The case could reshape how stores use pricing technology.