AI fuel-pricing software triggered illegal gas price collusion, California lawsuit alleges. A federal class-action suit accuses Marathon, Circle K, and software company Kalibrate of violating the state's new 2026 algorithmic antitrust law. Gas station operators throughout California are using artificial intelligence software to illegally coordinate fuel costs and artificially inflate prices at the pump, a federal class-action lawsuit alleges. The complaint, filed Monday in California's Eastern District, accuses major fuel retailers including Marathon and Circle K of violating state antitrust regulations through their use of Kalibrate, a global fuel-pricing software system. Plaintiffs in the suit characterize the automated platform as the "central nervous system" of an illegal conspiracy designed to eliminate retail price competition among competing stations. According to the filing, Kalibrate's algorithm coordinates elevated pricing structures and actively discourages gas station owners from undercutting local competitors, warning users that lower prices could trigger a market "downward spiral." The software promises subscribers they can maximize both sales volume and profit margins simultaneously by utilizing automated, cooperative price adjustments. The legal challenge relies on a recently enacted state law, Assembly Bill 325, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2026. The legislation amended California's Cartwright Act to explicitly prohibit the use of shared pricing algorithms to fix market rates - a regulatory update originally introduced to combat similar software tools used by corporate landlords to set residential rents. Data cited in the lawsuit indicates that when multiple gas stations in a single geographic area utilize these algorithmic tools, local fuel prices can spike by an average of 4.5 percent. The plaintiffs also highlight a specific "restoration" feature within the software, which allegedly permits operators to systematically initiate or participate in synchronized, market-wide price hikes. Furthermore, the suit alleges that Kalibrate has improperly shared non-public, proprietary pricing data from existing users with prospective corporate clients to demonstrate the software's coordination capabilities. California motorists already face the highest fuel prices in the nation, driven in part by a state gas tax of 70.9 cents per gallon. The lawsuit underscores the severe financial impact on consumers, noting that every single-cent increase at the pump extracts an additional $134 million annually from California drivers.

UC Foundation Board of Trustees announces seven new members for 2026. The University of Cincinnati Foundation announced on June 17 that seven community members will join its board of trustees beginning in October 2026. The new appointees include Ray Brooks, Chris Carper, Tim Giglio, Nandita Jena, and Chris Lewis, along with student trustees Case Trokhan and Joseph Verry. Rich Bundy, president of the UC Foundation, said, "I am proud to welcome our new board of trustee members. Their leadership, experience and shared commitment to the progress of UC and UC Health will add greatly to our capacity to drive our mission forward." Ray Brooks previously served as executive vice president at Marathon Petroleum Corp. before founding RCRJ Consulting. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a member of the UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Advisory Council. Brooks said he hopes "to add value to the Foundation by bringing the same passion that I have for the university to other branches, including the engineering community." Chris Carper is director of solution engineering for cloud and AI at Microsoft in telecommunications, media and gaming sectors. Carper said he looks forward "to bringing that perspective to help strengthen how we connect donors, investments and impact." Tim Giglio is senior vice president at UBS Financial Services Inc., specializing in wealth management strategies; he has served on several local arts boards. Nandita Jena leads operational resilience efforts at CIBC US after holding risk management roles with multiple financial institutions. She said she hopes "to contribute to strengthening the connection between academia and industry" through her involvement with the foundation. Chris Lewis is vice president for Vituity as well as a professor with UC Health who has held various academic leadership roles within UC. Student trustees Case Trokhan - a recent graduate entering medical school - and Joseph Verry - a fourth-year MD/PhD student - will also serve on the board. The newly appointed trustees expressed intentions ranging from supporting student success initiatives to enhancing alumni engagement.