Navigating the Future of Payments: Mastercard’s Approach to Agent Commerce

As artificial intelligence continues its integration into daily consumer experiences, agent commerce—where AI assistants handle purchases on our behalf—represents a significant evolution in how we interact with payments. While adoption potential is substantial (with 132 million consumers already using AI for shopping), success hinges on maintaining consumer trust and control.

Mastercard U.S. Co-President Chiro Aikat emphasizes that this new paradigm requires a different approach than previous payment innovations like EMV or mobile pay. Consumers initially needed to learn how to use these technologies, but once mastered, adoption became widespread. Agent commerce may follow a similar trajectory, though potentially at an accelerated pace.

The Control Paradox

Interestingly, data from PYMNTS suggests that while consumer usage of AI in shopping is increasing, willingness to delegate spending authority has declined—a divergence not typically seen with payment technologies. Aikat explains this phenomenon by noting that as consumers become more familiar with AI agents, they also recognize their limitations and become more selective about what tasks to entrust them.

This highlights a crucial distinction: agent commerce isn’t just about automating purchases; it’s about extending consumer preferences through intelligent assistance while preserving choice. When loyalty programs or brand affinity factors come into play (like choosing an airline based on accumulated miles), the decision becomes more complex than simply selecting the lowest price.

Loyalty Beyond Transactions

Aikat predicts that agent commerce will reshape loyalty programs by moving preference considerations ahead of individual purchases—rather than waiting for rewards to materialize after a transaction. Imagine your AI assistant automatically prioritizing brands you’re loyal to when making routine household purchases, without requiring manual intervention each time.

Mastercard’s Agent Pay initiative offers an early glimpse of this future, allowing consumers to delegate tasks like finding and purchasing dog food based on pet-specific needs while maintaining control over the final decision. The company is also developing agentic tokens and standards to support these new transaction types.

Ultimately, Aikat believes that successful payment technologies—whether contactless cards or AI assistants—share three essential qualities: seamless user experience, ease of use, and above all, trust. As agent commerce evolves, maintaining those principles will be paramount to ensuring widespread adoption.