The digital world is witnessing a radical transformation in buying and selling, with global financial payment giants, most notably Visa and Mastercard, racing to build a sophisticated infrastructure based entirely on what is known as "agent commerce." This new concept relies on artificial intelligence agents capable of completing the entire purchasing cycle on behalf of consumers, from research and comparison to payment.
From e-commerce to proxy trading
To understand the magnitude of this change, we must consider the historical context of commerce's evolution. The world transitioned from traditional brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce, which enabled users to shop via screens. Today, we are entering the third wave, where technology's role extends beyond simply displaying products; it encompasses decision-making and task execution. Agent commerce is fundamentally changing the shopping philosophy; instead of navigating through dozens of windows, websites, and apps, consumers can simply give a command via text or voice chat to a smart agent.
This agent, which may be integrated into sophisticated assistants such as ChatGBT, Gemini, or banking apps, takes on the arduous task: searching through hundreds of options, comparing exact prices, reviewing specifications, and finally making secure bookings and payments using pre-stored data.
Consumer gains and corporate challenges
For the consumer, this shift promises a golden age of convenience. Recent Visa surveys indicate that half of all shoppers in the US are already using artificial intelligence to enhance their shopping experience. This technology will eliminate hours of searching and provide unprecedented price transparency, giving consumers tremendous bargaining power through instant access to the best deals on the market.
On the other hand, businesses and retailers face a fiercely competitive reality. With smart tools that automatically detect the optimal price, price competition will intensify, potentially squeezing profit margins. The biggest challenge lies in the loss of direct customer communication; the "smart agent" will become the new intermediary controlling the purchasing decision, requiring companies to completely re-engineer their marketing and loyalty strategies.
An uncertain future and a battle for sovereignty
The outlines of the conflict are beginning to emerge, as major platforms like Amazon test their own agents while attempting to restrict third-party access to their data, signaling a potential battle for dominance over this new sales channel. Despite the ambitious promises, significant challenges hinder widespread implementation, most notably issues of security and legal liability. If an agent purchases the wrong product or books an unsuitable appointment, who bears the responsibility? These questions underscore the need for new protection systems and legislation to safeguard the rights of all parties in this automated economy.
