Visa Launches AI-Powered Platform Enabling Secure Automated Purchases

Visa has launched a groundbreaking platform called Visa Intelligent Commerce that enables artificial intelligence agents to purchase products on behalf of users, effectively granting AI access to people’s credit cards with strict security controls. Unveiled at Visa’s Global Product Drop event, this platform allows AI assistants not only to recommend products but also to complete transactions autonomously within user-defined parameters.

The platform replaces traditional card details with tokenized digital credentials that authorized AI agents can securely access. Users retain control by setting spending limits, merchant categories, and approval requirements, ensuring AI transactions stay within their preferences. This enables use cases such as booking flights under a budget, ordering groceries, or purchasing gifts without manual payment entry.

Visa’s initiative is supported by partnerships with leading AI companies including Anthropic, IBM, Microsoft, OpenAI, Samsung, and Stripe, aiming to embed payment capabilities directly into AI systems that are transforming consumer shopping experiences. This collaboration accelerates the adoption of AI commerce by integrating payment rails into existing AI platforms rather than creating separate assistants.

Security is central to Visa Intelligent Commerce. The platform leverages Visa’s decades of fraud detection expertise, including AI and machine learning systems that blocked $40 billion in fraud last year. Features include identity verification to confirm authorized AI agents, tokenization of payment credentials, real-time transaction monitoring, and data privacy frameworks that ensure consumer consent and encrypted data transmission.

Consumers maintain control over AI spending by setting parameters such as spending ceilings and merchant categories. For example, a user can limit AI purchases to $500 for travel expenses. This balance of convenience and control addresses consumer concerns about privacy and security while enabling AI to handle complex shopping tasks autonomously.

Visa’s global network spanning over 200 countries and territories provides a robust infrastructure to scale AI commerce worldwide. The company is already enabling developers to implement APIs for the platform, with pilot programs launching soon. This positions Visa at the forefront of a potential paradigm shift in online shopping, from manual transactions to AI-driven autonomous commerce.

Despite enthusiasm, consumer trust remains a challenge as users must become comfortable with AI agents accessing financial data. Visa addresses this by allowing incremental adoption, starting with low-risk transactions and maintaining existing fraud protections. The extensive ecosystem of AI and payment partners underscores Visa’s commitment to a secure and comprehensive AI commerce experience.

Visa Intelligent Commerce aims to reduce friction in online shopping by enabling AI agents to handle product discovery and payment seamlessly, potentially ending the era of abandoned shopping carts. By embedding payments into AI assistants consumers already use, Visa is setting new standards for the future of commerce where algorithms become trusted decision-makers and spenders on behalf of users.

This innovation represents a significant evolution in shopping behavior, requiring consumers to shift from guarding credit card details to entrusting AI with financial decisions. Visa’s platform is not just a technological advancement but a cultural shift in commerce, promising greater convenience without sacrificing control or security.