Visa is taking a bold step into the future of digital payments by launching a pilot program that brings agentic artificial intelligence (AI) into its core services. Imagine a world where your shopping assistant isn’t just a chatbot answering questions, but a proactive digital agent that can plan, decide, and act on your behalf—making your purchases smarter, easier, and more secure.
What Is Agentic AI?
Agentic AI is a new breed of artificial intelligence designed to operate with autonomy. Unlike traditional chatbots that wait for your instructions and respond in a turn-by-turn manner, agentic AI can break down complex tasks, prioritize actions, and work toward your goals with minimal supervision. Think of it as having a digital concierge who not only finds the best deals but also handles the entire shopping process—from discovery to payment—without you lifting a finger.
Visa’s Vision: Smarter, Seamless Shopping
Visa’s new initiative is more than just a tech upgrade; it’s a reimagining of how we interact with digital commerce. By partnering with leading AI developers like Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity, and Mistral, as well as tech giants IBM, Stripe, and Samsung, Visa is building a network where AI agents can securely access funds and complete transactions on your behalf.
Jack Forestell, Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, likens this transformation to the advent of e-commerce itself. The company believes that agentic AI could soon make everyday shopping tasks—like booking trips or managing subscriptions—effortless and intuitive.
How Does It Work?
Current AI models are great at searching the web and recommending products, but they often fall short when it comes to actually making purchases. That’s where Visa steps in. By integrating its secure payment infrastructure with agentic AI, Visa ensures that digital agents can not only find what you need but also pay for it safely and efficiently.
Visa’s system will verify your digital identity and authorize AI agents to act on your behalf, giving peace of mind to consumers, banks, and merchants alike. If there’s ever a dispute, Visa will manage it—just as they do with traditional card transactions.
Why This Matters for Consumers and the Industry
For consumers, this means less time spent on repetitive shopping tasks and more confidence in the security of their transactions. For emerging AI companies, Visa’s support offers a chance to compete with tech giants like Amazon and Google, who are also developing their own AI agents.
The pilot program is set to begin with select projects, with a broader rollout planned for next year. As agentic AI matures, we can expect a future where digital shopping is not just convenient, but truly intelligent.
Actionable Takeaways
- Stay informed about new digital payment tools and AI-driven shopping assistants.
- Consider the security features offered by your payment provider when using AI-powered services.
- Watch for updates from Visa and its partners as agentic AI becomes more widely available.
Summary: Key Points
- Visa is piloting agentic AI to revolutionize digital payments and shopping.
- Agentic AI operates autonomously, handling multi-step tasks beyond traditional chatbots.
- Partnerships with leading tech companies ensure robust, secure integration.
- The initiative aims to make shopping easier, faster, and more secure for everyone.
- A broader rollout is expected next year, signaling a major shift in digital commerce.