Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Driven Cartels Challenge Traditional Antitrust Approaches, Experts Conclude at HSE Conference

MOSCOW, Russia, November 25, 2025 — Digital cartels and algorithmic coordination were key themes at the 10th Anniversary International Conference “Antitrust Policy: Science, Practice, Education”, hosted by FAS Russia, HSE University and the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre. Competition officials from BRICS and EAEU countries, along with judges, academics and practitioners, explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping global markets and complicating traditional antitrust enforcement.

During the panel “Artificial Intelligence vs. Cartels,” Alexey Ivanov, Director of the BRICS Competition Centre, highlighted algorithmic coordination as a new and evolving form of cartel behaviour. He explained that algorithms can align prices without human involvement or explicit agreements, creating opaque “black box” systems that regulators find difficult to audit. Unlike traditional cartels built on direct communication, these digital cartels can evolve independently, react instantaneously and operate across entire online platforms.

Ivanov pointed to recent global enforcement examples that showcase the complexity of algorithmic collusion. In the United States, the RealPage case illustrated how revenue-management software coordinating rental prices across multiple landlords can lead to cartel-like effects, resulting in dozens of legal settlements and shaping future enforcement standards. The same risks are emerging in ride-hailing services and online marketplaces, where centralized pricing and ranking algorithms influence fares, visibility and access to tools like the Buy Box. Similar concerns, he noted, apply to Russian digital platforms. In commodity trading, blockchain-enabled platforms such as Covantis show that digital infrastructure can centralize market power rather than disperse it.

Ivanov stressed that certain forms of digital coordination are becoming embedded features of modern markets. This reality requires regulators to deepen their understanding of algorithmic behaviour and develop new tools to distinguish harmful collusion from legitimate efficiency gains. Potential solutions include algorithmic transparency rules, real-time monitoring systems, bolstered technical capabilities within competition authorities and broader international collaboration.

The conference highlighted a shared recognition among experts: AI-driven coordination is reshaping markets at a speed and scale that outpaces traditional antitrust frameworks. Participants agreed that enforcement strategies must adapt to ensure digital markets remain fair, competitive and transparent.