California AG probes retailers over surveillance pricing
California's Attorney General is reportedly probing retailers like Instacart over the use of surveillance pricing and personalized advertising. The investigation connects to broader industry debates around data privacy and the ongoing deprecation of third-party cookies. The outcome could have significant implications for how adtech and retail media networks use consumer data for pricing strategies.
The California AG's probe, announced on Data Privacy Day, targets retailers, grocers, and hotels, demanding information on how they leverage consumer data for pricing. This isn't just about CCPA compliance; the inquiry also touches on potential violations of competition and anti-discrimination laws, signaling a broader look at algorithmic fairness. The investigation follows a 2025 Consumer Reports study on Instacart, which found prices for the same grocery items could vary by up to 23% for different shoppers at the same time. This regulatory pressure coincides with major shifts in programmatic advertising, where AI is increasingly used for targeting and budget optimization. With third-party cookies gone, the focus has shifted to first-party data, contextual targeting, and data clean rooms to maintain relevance and privacy. Programmatic spending in the US is projected to exceed $203 billion in 2026, making regulatory clarity on data usage critical for the adtech sector. For engineering leaders, the challenge of scaling teams in a high-growth SaaS environment is less about raw hiring and more about building a robust system for onboarding, communication, and decision-making. As teams grow beyond 15-20 engineers, the CTO's role evolves from a hands-on coder to a strategic leader who manages managers and balances technical debt with innovation. This transition requires a deep understanding of business strategy, including how engineering decisions impact revenue and go-to-market plans. AI agents are moving beyond task automation to handle complex, end-to-end enterprise workflows in areas like finance, retail, and manufacturing. These "digital employees" integrate with ERP and CRM systems to make autonomous decisions, promising to automate over 50% of operations. The key differentiator from rule-based automation is the ability of AI agents to learn from interactions and adapt to changing data in real-time. The UK's tech startup scene continues to show strength, raising $4.21B across 183 rounds as of February 2026, a 7.72% increase in funding compared to the same period in 2025. In 2025, UK startups raised a total of $15.3B, maintaining the country's position as the second-highest funded globally. Investor confidence is particularly high in sectors like AI, health tech, and sustainability, with over 60% of 2025 seed-stage deals involving companies that explicitly leverage AI. With the 2026 Formula 1 season kicking off in Melbourne, pre-season testing in Bahrain has hinted at a competitive landscape. Mercedes and Ferrari are emerging as the teams to beat after significant regulation overhauls, while drivers like Max Verstappen have voiced concerns about the complexity of the new rules. Lando Norris enters the season as the reigning World Champion after securing his first title in the final race of 2025.
