人工智能时代个性化定价行为的反垄断规制--从大数据杀熟展开

人工智能时代,数据规模显著扩张,算法能力持续优化。科技实力雄厚、市场力量强大的经营者凭借大数据与算法工具的紧密结合,收集和分析能够反映消费者特征和行为的相关信息,以无限接近消费者购买能力和支付意愿上限的方式对消费者实施个性化定价。个性化定价行为涉及对条件相同的交易相对人在交易价格上实施差别化待遇,可能构成反垄断法所禁止的价格歧视行为。但与以往反垄断实施重点关注的排他性价格歧视不同,个性化定价突出表现为直接针对终端消费者实施的剥削性价格歧视,且在具体情形下呈现出不同的限制竞争效果,引发消费者选择能力与选择范围的双重限制。鉴于此,个性化定价行为的反垄断规制需要准确识别涉案行为,综合判断竞争效果,慎重选择福利标准。对于同时降低消费者剩余和社会总福利的个性化定价行为,可认定其具有限制竞争效果且不具备正当理由,从而构成违法价格歧视;对于降低消费者剩余却提高社会总福利的个性化定价行为,如果选择消费者福利标准则可认定其构成违法价格歧视,如果选择社会总福利标准则可认定其具备正当理由;对于同时提高消费者剩余与社会总福利的个性化定价行为,因涉及消费者之间的剩余转移,对其竞争效果的评价仍待反垄断实施予以明确。

Antitrust Enforcement against Personalized Pricing in the Artificial--Intelligence Era from the Perspective of Big Data Discrimination

The era of artificial intelligence has seen a significant expansion in data scale and continued optimization of algorithmic strength. Taking advantages of the close integration of big data and algorithm,business operators with strong technology and market power are able to collect and analyze relevant information that reflects characteristics and behaviors of consumers. Further,personalized pricing schemes can be implemented through charging each individual consumer a price that is personalized to match that consumer’s maximum willingness to pay. However,personalized pricing gives rise to the differential treatment of transaction prices for trading partners with identical conditions,which may constitute price discrimination prohibited by the Anti-monopoly Law. Unlike the exclusionary abuses which are constantly under the radar of enforcement authorities,personalized pricing practices are prominently manifested as exploitative abuses directed at end consumers,resulting in varied anti-competitive effects under different circumstances and dual restraints on the ability and scope of consumer choice. In view of this,it is necessary to adopt an antitrust regulatory approach that accurately identifies the conduct involved,comprehensively assesses the competitive effects and carefully chooses welfare standard. Personalized pricing that reduces both consumer surplus and total welfare can be deemed as having the effect of restricting competition without any justifications,thus violating the price discrimination clause of the Anti-monopoly Law;personalized pricing that reduces consumer surplus whereas increases total welfare can be deemed as unlawful under the consumer welfare standard as opposed to lawful under the total welfare standard. In addition,personalized pricing that improves both consumer surplus and total welfare involves surplus transfers between different consumers,therefore,further clarification as regards its legality needs to be given in the future antitrust enforcement.