AI Agents Reshape Commerce: From Intent too Transaction in Near Real-Time
Table of Contents
The convergence of artificial intelligence technologies, including dynamic wallets and autonomous shopping agents, is dramatically shrinking the gap between a consumer’s desire and a completed purchase, effectively compressing the distance across global commerce to near zero.
The rise of AI agents capable of handling complex, end-to-end tasks isn’t simply an incremental enhancement for issuers, retailers, and the platforms that connect them-it signals a basic restructuring of the shopping experience. This shift promises to redefine how consumers navigate everything from product discovery to payment selection and transaction execution.
“The real transformation happens when payments are built directly into AI-driven workflows,” explained a senior official at Marqeta.”We envision agentic commerce becoming just a standard part of how the payment ecosystem works.” This official added that issuers positioned to succeed in this evolving landscape will be proactive enablers, rather than passive processors.
This isn’t a futuristic prediction; the AI-driven shift in commerce is already underway, fueled by real-time data, adaptable payment infrastructure, and increasingly refined autonomous agents. These forces are prompting retailers, issuers, and platforms to reassess their roles within the consumer buying journey.
The Next Operating System for Commerce
The future of commerce envisions a scenario were the payment process isn’t the culmination of a purchase, but rather it’s initiation. This represents a move from a “user-pulled” to a “system-pushed” model.
Collapsing the Commerce Funnel with Agentic AI
“As AI agents take on more decision-making, issuers now have an opportunity to start to shift left and be present earlier in the purchase journey rather than at the point of transaction,” the official noted.
A New Operating System for Commerce
This transformation has significant implications. For retailers, the traditional “front door” of commerce – the storefront – may become less central. For issuers, it presents an opportunity to influence decisions, not just process them. And for consumers, it promises a future where financial tools operate autonomously and proactively.
As agents assume the decision-making role, retailers must ensure their product information, pricing, and promotions are machine-readable and readily accessible. The interface of commerce may evolve away from retailer-specific apps or websites, shifting towards an AI layer positioned between the consumer and the brand. Retailers who fail to adapt risk losing visibility and relevance as agents direct consumers elsewhere.
“Trust and security become even more critical when we’re talking about AI agents executing transactions on behalf of customers,” the official emphasized, adding that as agents gain autonomy, the systems safeguarding transactions – including fraud detection and authentication – must also evolve.
The Real-Time Infrastructure Beneath the Agents
The infrastructure supporting the rise of AI agents may prove even more transformative than the agents themselves. Real-time data infrastructure and open,standardized interfaces are becoming essential. To execute tasks reliably, agents require fast, permissioned access to account data, contextual information, and transaction capabilities, avoiding complex or proprietary integrations.
“You have to start with things being secure and accessible,” the official said.
Protocols like Marqeta’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, originally developed by Anthropic, are emerging as a preferred method for AI systems to access structured contextual data. Marqeta’s implementation enables AI agents to directly interact with payment infrastructure, performing tasks such as balance inquiries, transaction initiation, and real-time signal reception through standardized APIs.
“It creates a direct connection between AI applications and payment infrastructure, dramatically reducing time to market,” the official explained, adding that smart credentials, driven by AI and powered by issuers, could increase top-of-wallet usage.
The official also anticipates “new revenue streams and partnerships” for issuers as they evolve into platforms for AI services. Rather of simply providing payment rails, they will become orchestrators of intelligent commerce ecosystems, where agents connect, execute tasks, and operate autonomously.
.
