Key Takeaways
- Visa is developing technology to allow AI agents, like smart digital assistants, to make purchases using your credit card information securely.
- You’ll be able to set budgets and preferences, letting the AI handle shopping for things like groceries or travel tickets.
- The system, called Visa Intelligent Commerce, uses new security features like tokenized “AI-Ready Cards” and requires your explicit permission for transactions.
- Pilot programs are launching with major AI developers including Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI, with a wider release planned for next year.
- Visa believes this could be as transformative for shopping as the introduction of e-commerce.
Imagine your digital assistant not just finding flight options but actually buying the tickets for you, all within a budget you’ve approved. Visa is working to make this a reality.
The company is building a system that lets AI agents – think of them as smart software helpers – securely use your Visa credentials to complete purchases on your behalf.
Until now, AI tools have become quite good at searching and finding products online, but they usually hit a wall when it comes time to actually pay. They often have to hand the final step back to you.
Visa aims to bridge this gap. According to a report from Neowin, the initiative, called Visa Intelligent Commerce, connects AI platforms directly to Visa’s payment network.
Security is a major focus. Instead of sharing your actual card number, the system uses “AI-Ready Cards” that rely on secure digital tokens. Crucially, you stay in control.
You’ll need to give explicit permission for an AI agent to make payments, set spending limits, and authorize transactions. Only you can activate the payment credentials for the agent.
This approach helps manage risks, including potential AI errors or “hallucinations” that could lead to incorrect purchases. Real-time controls and spending caps add further layers of safety.
Jack Forestell, Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, suggested this could be “transformational,” potentially reshaping online shopping much like e-commerce did years ago.
Visa is already testing this technology with leading AI companies such as Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity, and Mistral, with plans for a broader rollout next year.
The idea is to automate routine or complex tasks, like booking travel or ordering regular supplies, freeing up your time. For shopping experiences you enjoy, AI might simply work in the background to assist.
By combining the intelligence of AI with its trusted payment infrastructure, Visa hopes to usher in a new era of convenient, personalized, and hands-free commerce.
