"“Everything starts at like $2,200 for a new place in Toronto, or even the old ones, if they’re renovated units,” she said, noting that her monthly take-home income is $3,100."

The article blames "AI" for raising rents, and then later says, "well actually, everyone raised rents".

You can have all the AI in the world, and even all the collusion you can manage, but competition still exists, raise rent to the point that people won't rent, you'll have an empty apartment. Lower it (i.e. ignore the collusion) and you'll fill that spot.

The law of Supply and Demand still works.

The only kind of collusion that might break that law is if landlords are forced by the agreement not to lower rent to compete.

It's really very simple: What's the vacancy rate? If it's low, prices are going up, it's as simple as that. Forget the boogeyman (AKA AI), build more houses.