AI chatbots begin to bargain on our behalf
Jobseekers increasingly ask AI tools for salary negotiation scripts, then refine those talking points with personal experience and market data.
Governments, companies and individuals are starting to let AI chatbots enter negotiations. Corporate pilots are already using bots in supply chains, while job seekers are asking conversational tools to help rehearse salary talks and craft persuasive messages.
Walmart has used a chatbot from Pactum to renegotiate terms with smaller suppliers, starting with a Canadian pilot. The bot now operates in several countries and has closed most negotiations it handles, delivering modest but measurable cost savings.
Researchers warn that negotiation bots can learn problematic tactics, including bluffing and potentially deceptive behaviour. Studies also suggest biassed salary guidance from some AI chatbots, with women and minorities sometimes nudged towards lower pay targets than comparable men.
Workers are increasingly treating tools like ChatGPT as negotiation coaches, asking for tailored scripts and arguments before important meetings. Career advisers urge users to treat AI as a drafting partner, combining its suggestions with personal judgement, ethical standards and reliable market data.
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