How AI is making it harder to book on Airbnb; Is junk food bad for your brain?: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet

Bobby Hristova · CBC News

· Posted: Oct 18, 2026 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 20 minutes ago

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AI photos are making it harder to know what you're booking on Airbnb. Here's what to look out for

When booking his trip to Montreal, Wells found extremely polished-looking photos of hosts appeared in numerous Airbnb listings, leading him to suspect they had been generated using AI. Short-term rentals in that city are subject to strict rules aimed in part at protecting the city's housing supply. (Josh Wells/Reddit)

Josh Wells, a college student from Iowa, was excited to explore Montreal on his first trip outside the U.S. But as he scrolled through Airbnb listings in search of a place to stay, he began to notice something that didn't seem quite right.

Several of the hosts renting out their properties had profile pictures that Wells suspected were generated by artificial intelligence.

"Your average person taking an iPhone photo, there's obviously like a little bit of imperfections," Wells told the CBC's Cost of Living. "The AI photos, they just looked too perfect."

Still, Wells kept browsing. He was even close to booking one of the properties when a final look at the listing's photos raised another red flag.

He zoomed in on a piece of wall art depicting two halves of faces joined together. At the top, the artwork appeared to read "Picasso." But in another photo of the same room, taken from a different angle, the artwork looked different.

"The text was all warped and funky," he said. "I'm just like, 'Yeah, OK, this is AI."

That was enough to put Wells off the listing — and ultimately using Airbnb for this trip. Unable to tell whether the photos showed a real place or an AI-generated version, he opted for an apartment-style hotel instead.

"The fake profile picture is one thing, but listings of the actual place that you're staying at and spending thousands of dollars was an immediate no for me.”

Wells isn't the only traveller to question whether the photos found on Airbnb or similar short-term rental-style platforms accurately reflect reality.

As AI makes it easier to alter photos, experts say travellers may find it increasingly difficult to know whether Airbnb-style listings accurately reflect reality, raising questions about consumer trust and protections in Canada.

In a statement to CBC News, Airbnb said its rules require listings to be "accurately represented" and that the company may ask hosts to remove content that uses AI or other digital technology to "edit flaws, hide damage, add amenities or attributes that are not part of a listing, or otherwise materially misrepresent the listing."

The company further said it encourages guests to report misleading listings and that those who find a property that doesn't match its description can contact its 24/7 community support team. Under AirCover, Airbnb added, it may help guests find a similar place or provide a refund if the host can't resolve the issue.

Read more from the CBC’s Catherine Zhu.

We know junk food isn't healthy, but scientists are trying to determine if it's also bad for our brains

Most people have food in their fridges and cupboards that they know isn't the healthiest choice.

A box of chocolate chip cookies you grab for a bedtime snack. Instant noodles for when you can't be bothered to make dinner. Or that bag of ketchup chips you grabbed on a late night stroll home from the bar.

But it's not just guilty pleasures. Nearly half of the calories Canadians consume — 45.7 per cent on average, according to  Statistics Canada — comes in the form of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and includes everything from breakfast cereals to frozen meals.

Over the years, research has shown that UPFs can negatively impact everything from our weight  to our cardiovascular health, and could even be linked to some types of cancer.

But a new study co-authored by two professors at Hamilton's McMaster University, published Thursday by JAMA Network Open, signals that our brains could also suffer as a result of consuming too many foods produced to be cheap and ready-to-eat.

The authors say that the people with the highest intake of UPFs in their diets may face an increased likelihood of experiencing changes to the brain that could serve as precursors for stroke, dementia and cognitive decline.

People wouldn't necessarily be aware of these potential harms, says study co-author Russell de Souza, an associate professor at McMaster's Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine.

But he says the findings could encourage people to shift their eating habits now, before experiencing serious consequences later in life.

Read more from the CBC’s Nick Logan.

What else is going on?

A fridge hack spoiled food in hundreds of French supermarkets. Cybersecurity experts say it's a wake-up call

Hackers may have targeted out-of-date firmware that remotely controls fridge temperatures

What is your seafood eating? Investigation traces problems in global feed supply

Fish meal and fish oil used in aquaculture linked to pollution, overfishing and labour abuses

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Marketplace needs your help

(David Abrahams/CBC)

Have you ever wondered what personal data you might be giving away when you use apps on your phone? If you're curious and willing to be on camera, drop us a line at marketplace@cbc.ca.