Mastercard, Visa, and Elo target AI-driven autonomous payments

Major payment networks, including Mastercard, Visa, and Elo, are positioning themselves to integrate artificial intelligence agents into the digital payment ecosystem. This shift toward ‘agentic commerce’ involves AI assistants capable of autonomously researching products, comparing prices, and completing purchases on behalf of users.

Industry executives note that while concrete steps are being taken to mediate this new chain, the transition from experimental phases to widespread adoption faces significant hurdles. Challenges include security concerns, the need to build consumer trust, and a fundamental cultural shift required to move away from manual e-commerce processes, such as clicking a ‘buy’ button.

Eduardo Merighi, Vice President of Technology at Elo, suggested that achieving total autonomy—where a consumer only realizes a purchase has occurred when the product arrives—will take time due to these cultural and security factors. Similarly, Mastercard’s digital director, Pablo Fourez, noted that major revolutions in payment methods typically take about a decade to achieve significant scale.