SALTZMAN: Wait, what? AI will soon shop for you

In a groundbreaking announcement at Visa’s Product Drop press event in San Francisco, Visa CEO Ryan McInerney unveiled the Visa Intelligent Commerce initiative, a revolutionary suite of tools and technologies that will enable AI-based shopping like never before. Partnering with companies like OpenAI, Visa is set to introduce a new era of agentic commerce, where AI agents can not only recommend products and services but also make purchases on behalf of the user.

Imagine a scenario where your AI assistant not only suggests the best flight for your upcoming trip but also handles the entire booking and payment process for you. With your consent, AI agents will be able to research, select, and even buy flights based on your preferences and parameters. This could include setting price thresholds, avoiding stopovers or redeye flights, and much more.

Up until now, AI agents could only provide recommendations and then direct users to websites to make purchases. But with the introduction of Visa’s payment tools, AI agents will now have the ability to complete transactions securely and seamlessly. This will not only save users time and hassle but also open up a whole new world of possibilities for AI-powered commerce.

Visa’s extensive experience in secure payments, processing over 3.3 trillion transactions in the past 25 years, makes it the ideal partner for bringing agentic commerce to life. With the support of Visa’s network of bank partners and advanced security measures like tokenization and authentication, users can trust that their payments will be safe and protected.

The launch of Visa Intelligent Commerce marks a significant step forward in the evolution of AI-powered shopping. Trusted providers like Visa are essential to ensuring that agentic commerce can scale and thrive in the digital marketplace. By prioritizing data privacy, consent, and user control, Visa is committed to empowering users to make informed decisions and protect their personal information.

With the start of Visa-led agentic commerce expected in the coming months, users can look forward to a new era of shopping where AI agents handle up to 20% of all e-commerce tasks. This exciting development promises to revolutionize the way we shop online and pave the way for a more seamless and efficient shopping experience.

Overall, Visa’s vision for the future of agentic commerce represents a significant leap forward in the integration of AI technology into everyday shopping. By leveraging the power of AI agents and secure payment tools, Visa is poised to redefine the way we shop and interact with digital commerce in the years to come.