Visa’s “Intelligent Commerce” and Mastercard’s “Agent Pay,” launched April 2025, are revolutionizing shopping by deploying AI agents that handle everything from browsing to checkout. These digital minions understand your style better than your bestie and transform vague wishes into precise purchases. With partnerships including tech giants like Microsoft and OpenAI, these systems don’t just find products—they complete entire transactions autonomously. Budget controls and security features promise to keep your wallet safe while your AI does the heavy lifting. The shopping revolution awaits.
While you’ve been busy trying to remember your CVV number, the payment giants have been plotting a shopping revolution. In late April 2025, both Visa and Mastercard disclosed new services that fundamentally give AI agents your wallet—with your permission, of course. Visa’s “Intelligent Commerce” and Mastercard’s “Agent Pay” are designed to let artificial intelligence do your shopping for you, from browsing to checkout.
Remember how your parents used to complain about online shopping being impersonal? Well, buckle up, because now your personal AI assistant might understand your style better than your best friend. These systems can select outfits based on your preferences, considering everything from the venue to the weather. Gone are the days of scrolling endlessly through pages of almost-but-not-quite-right jackets.
AI shopping isn’t just smart—it’s downright clairvoyant, turning your vague wants into precise purchases while you’re busy living life.
The tech heavyweights aren’t going it alone. Visa has assembled an Avengers-level team including Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Samsung. Not to be outdone, Mastercard has partnered with Microsoft to develop use cases that’ll make your current shopping experience look positively prehistoric. Visa is even providing a suite of APIs to help developers create seamless AI shopping experiences.
What makes this different from today’s AI shopping assistants? These new systems don’t just help you find products—they complete the entire transaction. Your AI can now browse, select, purchase, and manage your shopping while you’re busy doing literally anything else. Amazon is also entering this space with their Buy for Me feature, further validating the market potential. It’s like having a personal shopper who never sleeps, never gets cranky, and never judges your midnight ice cream cravings.
Security concerns? They’ve thought of that. Mastercard’s introducing special “Agentic Tokens” for secure payments, while both companies are building on their existing security infrastructure. You’ll set the budget limits, so your AI assistant won’t go rogue and buy that yacht you’ve been eyeing. With data privacy concerns remaining a significant barrier to AI adoption, these payment giants are investing heavily in secure systems that protect your personal information.
The real game-changer here is removing friction at checkout. No more abandoned carts because you can’t find your credit card or second-guess your purchase. Your AI assistant handles it all, creating an “internet of agents” that might just make shopping as we understand it obsolete.
