Agentic Commerce Needs eCommerce-Level Trust to Scale, Mastercard-PYMNTS Panelists Say

AI agents are moving beyond basic chatbots to 'agentic commerce,' where AI can actually perform transactions on behalf of consumers. For retailers, this represents a massive shift in how you offer financing and close sales. If an AI agent is empowered to find a product and buy it, it must also be able to navigate your financing options, apply for credit, or select a BNPL provider without a human clicking the buttons. This technology promises to reduce friction and increase conversion, but it currently faces a major trust gap. Consumers are hesitant to give AI 'power of attorney' over their bank accounts, and merchants are wary of how these agents will interact with their checkout flows. Mastercard and industry experts argue that for this to scale, the industry needs standardized protocols similar to EMV chips or 'Verified by Visa.' For your business, this means the future of consumer financing isn't just about a user-friendly interface for humans. It is about having an API-ready financing stack that an AI agent can read and execute. If your financing partners aren't preparing for machine-to-machine transactions, you risk being left out of the automated shopping cycles of the next decade. The focus now is on building the security frameworks that ensure an AI agent doesn't accidentally overspend or select predatory lending terms, which would reflect poorly on your brand.

Source: PYMNTS

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