11.02.26 Holiday Shopping BOTchas! / AI Driving Up Medical Costs

About this episode

Are AI Chatbots Secretly Tricking Holiday Shoppers? & Why You MUST Ask for an Itemized Hospital Bill With the holiday shopping season in full swing, millions of consumers are turning to AI shopping assistants like Meta’s Muse for the very first time to hunt down the best deals. While these chatbots speak with total authority, Clark warns against taking their recommendations as absolute fact. Beyond the retail aisles, artificial intelligence is also driving up costs in healthcare as hospital systems and health insurance providers deploy AI against one another in payment disputes. Hospitals are increasingly using AI to flag additional billable charges, leaving patients stuck with inflated balance bills when insurers refuse to cover the extra costs. To avoid paying more than you legitimately owe, Clark stresses the importance of becoming an active consumer. Plus, Christa shares your #AskClark questions and Clark gives his take. All this and more on the November 2, 2026, episode of The Clark Howard Show. Submit your questions: Ask Clark. Holiday Shopping: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 AI & Healthcare Costs : Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: