AI Traders Autonomously Collude, Undermining Market Efficiency

Aug 05, 2025
NBER
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Summary

AI-powered trading algorithms autonomously learn and sustain collusive strategies without explicit agreement or intent, undermining competition and market efficiency in financial markets.

Key Points

  • AI-powered trading integrates algorithmic trading with reinforcement learning, transforming financial markets.
  • AI speculators autonomously sustain collusive supra-competitive profits without agreement, communication, or intent, undermining competition and market efficiency.
  • Two separate mechanisms underlie this collusion: one arises from AI speculators' ability to learn collusive strategies, and the other from their ability to coordinate through public signals.

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