American Express launches Intent Intelligence to secure AI agent payments

American Express has introduced the Intent Intelligence Framework, a new system designed to secure transactions made by AI agents. The framework aims to mitigate the risks of non-deterministic AI outputs, such as unauthorized purchases or incorrect orders, by verifying a customer's specific intent before a payment is processed.

Through the Create Intent API, the system records a customer's specific requirements, including the merchant, budget limits, and product preferences. Once the customer authenticates their identity, the system generates a unique Intent ID and a Proof of Intent Token. This token allows the AI agent to use a secure digital credential at checkout instead of the actual credit card number, ensuring the transaction remains within the authorized parameters.

This development is part of the ACE developer toolkit and works alongside Amex Agent Purchase Protection. The move follows similar efforts by other major payment players, including Mastercard's Agent Pay, Visa's Trusted Agent Protocol, and Google's AP2, as the industry shifts toward building specialized infrastructure for agentic commerce.