Study: Google AI Mode Serves the Same Products 21.6% Pricier Than Classic Search

A 23-day analysis by Productrise tracked more than 2 million product listings across over 100,000 shopping results, running identical queries through Google’s AI Mode and traditional search at the same moment. When the exact same product surfaced in both, AI Mode’s lead price averaged 21.6% higher. Broadening the lens to every priced listing on each side, the gap widened to roughly 49% — a median of $149 in AI Mode versus $100 in conventional search.

The two systems barely overlap. AI Mode shows far fewer items (about 3.9 products per query against 27.8 in traditional search), and only 1.28% of products ranking in classic search also appear in AI Mode for the same query on the same day. When matched prices disagree, which happens 38.1% of the time, AI Mode is the more expensive option in 68.4% of cases, with a median premium of 22.2%. The dominant seller also changes on nearly half of matched products, and AI Mode appears more inclined to link directly to brand websites over third-party marketplaces.

The findings cut against Google’s usual habit of rewarding the cheapest listing with the best placement, and against the promise that AI shopping would strip away price-comparison friction. Instead, the data suggests AI Mode quietly steers shoppers toward pricier inventory they might never realize was available cheaper elsewhere. It’s framed as a modest win for merchants who don’t want to compete on price alone, but a real concern for consumers navigating cost-of-living pressures.