Visa, one of the world’s largest payment networks, recently announced its “Intelligent Commerce” program. This initiative enables AI agents to search, recommend, and complete consumer purchases, marking a bold step in the evolution of the traditional payments system.
Representatives from CreditCoin, Kite AI, and Space ID told BeInCrypto that while the move brings unparalleled user convenience, it also raises anxiety over ceding financial control to an autonomous system.
The Dawn of Autonomous Commerce
By launching Intelligent Commerce, Visa formally announced a new era of commerce that other payment giants will likely follow. In a way, the announcement was inevitable.
With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), businesses wanting to stay ahead of the curve are rushing to integrate its features into their products and services.
Indeed, Visa’s initiative is notable. Using the Intelligent Commerce program, consumers will effectively delegate their purchasing power to autonomous systems. These agents will make the buying decisions by analyzing user data and considering the limits set by the consumer.
The entire process changes the paradigm of traditional payment methods.
“You’re not just handing over a payment method; you’re delegating decision-making power to an AI agent. That brings a completely new layer to consumer identity and autonomy. Instead of logging into your bank or checking out on a website, you’re now telling an intelligent system, ‘Here are my rules; go make decisions on my behalf.’ It’s the beginning of programmable spending identities,” CreditCoin founder Tae Oh told BeInCrypto.
The technological infrastructure that upholds the system itself is also remarkable.
Securing AI-Driven Payments with Tokenization
In Visa’s Intelligent Commerce program, tokenization is critical in providing seamless functionality.
When users connect their Visa card to an AI agent in the Intelligent Commerce program, their card details aren’t stored or shared directly with the AI.
Instead, Visa’s secure payment systems and passkeys authenticate the user, and then their card information is converted into a digital token.
This process creates an “AI-ready card,” allowing the AI agent to interact only with this token rather than the sensitive card number itself.
Alongside tokenization, Visa has also developed an additional layer of security intended to offer proactive defense mechanisms.
This program is designed to meet a clear need in the market. It offers effortless purchasing through AI agents to ease the burden on people with heavy workloads.
“The most critical is the advancement in tokenization infrastructure, allowing sensitive card information to be replaced by secure digital tokens embedded within AI agents. These tokens facilitate seamless, secure transactions without exposing actual card credentials. Equally significant is the development of real-time risk analytics and fraud detection systems that work in concert with the AI,” Scott Shi, CTO and Co-Founder of Kite AI, explained.
How Will AI Transform Consumer Spending?
If well-designed, programs like Intelligent Commerce could significantly reduce stress. Consumers would never forget to pay a bill, and their AI would constantly optimize to meet budget restrictions.
“They will give people more freedom by taking over something that’s typically relatively time-consuming. AI-powered spending could actually become a lifesaver for busy moms, for example, but also for anyone who isn’t very good with budgeting or is quite impulsive in their spending. It would take away that temptation,” Alice Shikova, Marketing Lead at SPACE ID, told BeInCrypto.
This disruptive approach would tremendously affect brands’ marketing strategies if adopted on a massive scale. Instead of catering to individuals, they would need to appeal to an algorithm.
“The impact could be profound. AI agents trained on an individual’s consented spending patterns may shift power away from branding and emotional marketing toward functional performance. If your AI knows that you prefer sustainable products, it may actively bypass mainstream options in favor of eco-conscious alternatives—even if the latter have weaker brand recognition,” Kite AI Co-Founder Shi noted.
The program is also expected to lead to more relevant product recommendations for consumers, helping them find previously overlooked items. In a way, this levels the playing field for smaller brands.
However, these systems’ potential benefits are currently conditional, as numerous obstacles, especially psychological barriers, could impede their broad acceptance.
The Human Element: Trust as a Prerequisite
Programs like Visa’s Intelligent Commerce rely on a paramount degree of trust. Not everyone may feel inclined to grant autonomous systems permission over how they handle their finances.
“We’re hardwired to want control over our money. For many, even using autopay for bills is a stretch. So when AI starts making discretionary purchases, even small ones, it can create anxiety or second-guessing. ‘Did I really need that?’ turns into ‘Did my AI follow my preferences?’ And that introduces a new kind of emotional distance from spending,” Oh underlined.
Though these systems may be frictionless, sometimes a little friction is necessary when it comes to spending. A pause before pressing the purchase button can go a long way in avoiding overconsumption.
The vast amount of personal information these agents will have over customer data is another reason for distrust.
Who Is Responsible When AI Misuses Data?
Though Visa’s tokenization infrastructure does protect sensitive data, its security measures aren’t all-encompassing. At the same time, Visa is, for now, the only global payment system offering these services.
According to a recent report, Visa processed nearly 234 billion transactions in 2024 alone, with its payment volume reaching 13.2 trillion. These numbers are impressive, but also particularly attractive for bad actors.
“If your financial behavior is being processed and stored by a few large players, it becomes a highly attractive target– not just for hackers, but for misuse by the platforms themselves. Who controls that data? Can it be ported to other services? Can users revoke access entirely? These are governance questions that haven’t been fully answered,” Oh told BeInCrypto.
Meanwhile, having such comprehensive access to data raises serious questions about user privacy. If an AI agent misuses information or exploits it, it’s unclear who would be held responsible.
“The collection of hyper-personalized spending data opens a Pandora’s box of governance and privacy issues. Who owns this data—the user, the AI provider, or Visa? What happens if that data is sold, leaked, or repurposed?” Shi said.
While this technology is undeniably innovative, its long-term success hinges on how it’s implemented.
Beyond Profit: The Societal Impact of AI Commerce
For AI-driven payment systems to genuinely serve society, the foundational “trust contract” must prioritize human needs over financial gains.
If this doesn’t happen, many negative consequences could impact customers.
“There’s potential for algorithmic homogenization, where AI preferences compress consumer diversity and reinforce popular or pre-integrated brands. Additionally, this level of financial delegation could enable a new form of surveillance capitalism, where spending data becomes a premium commodity,” Shi pointed out.
How these systems are deployed can also lead to the exclusion of certain sectors of society.
“People who aren’t very tech-savvy, like the elderly, could be completely left behind. Anyone who might still be struggling to understand smartphones or banking apps would be completely lost with AI agents,” Shikova highlighted.
Developers must carefully plan the educational tools accompanying these new payment methods. Otherwise, there will be plenty of room for exploitation.
“If we’re not careful, we risk deepening the digital divide. These tools require trust, infrastructure, and access to data, and those aren’t evenly distributed. People who don’t fully understand the AI’s decisions or who lack reliable digital access may get left behind, or worse, exploited by poorly designed or predatory systems,” Oh concluded.
With every technological shift comes a cultural change. In an increasingly digital world that shows no signs of slowing down, industries need to create guardrails that prioritize humanity over mere profiteering. That is the most sustainable way to a healthy future.
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