Payments rely on a simple model: a person decides to buy something, and a bank or card network processes the transaction. That model is starting to change as Visa tests how AI agents can initiate payments. New work in the banking sector suggests that, in some cases, software agents may soon take on that role.
A recent example comes from Visa, which is rolling out its “Agentic Ready” programme in Europe to test how financial systems handle AI-initiated transactions. The effort involves collaboration with banks, including Commerzbank and DZ Bank. The aim is to prepare existing payment infrastructure for a scenario where software agents can search for products and make decisions, then complete purchases on behalf of users.
According to information published by Visa and reported by The Paypers, the programme focuses on enabling secure transactions where AI systems act as the initiating party. Instead of a customer confirming a purchase, an AI agent could carry out the task after being given a goal or set of rules.
How transactions begin
Payment systems are built around human identity and intent. A card transaction today depends on verifying that a person has authorised a purchase. If AI agents begin to initiate transactions, banks will need new ways to confirm identity and intent at the system level. That includes deciding how an agent proves it is acting on behalf of a user, and how much autonomy it should have.
In Visa’s model, software agents could handle routine or repeat purchases with limited human input, based on user-defined rules. A system could, for example, monitor supply levels and compare prices, then complete a transaction when certain conditions are met. Reporting from Die Welt and Investing.com says the company sees this as similar in scale to the early change toward online payments, when banks had to adapt to a new type of transaction flow.
Control and compliance
Banks involved in early trials are testing how these ideas work in practice. Commerzbank and DZ Bank are exploring how AI agents can be integrated into existing systems without breaking compliance rules. This includes checks related to fraud, audit trails, and customer consent. These areas are tightly regulated, which means any change to how transactions are initiated must still meet oversight standards.
A RepRisk report found that banks are already dealing with more frequent and costly issues linked to AI. The report states that these incidents can lead to multi-million-dollar losses.
Visa’s work is focused on infrastructure not consumer-facing tools. It’s working on how payment networks should behave when the “customer” is a piece of software. That includes defining how agents are authenticated and how transactions are approved. It also covers how disputes are handled if something goes wrong.
AI and enterprise purchasing
In large organisations, procurement often involves multiple approval steps. AI agents could compress that process by handling routine purchases in set limits. This could reduce manual work, but it also means companies need clear rules about what agents are allowed to do. Without that, the risk of errors or misuse increases.
Large institutions are investing in AI to automate back-office work and reduce costs. Some are also reorganising teams to focus more on data and AI strategy. Regulators are paying closer attention to how AI is used in decision-making, especially in areas like credit and fraud detection.
Taken together, these developments suggest that payments could become one of the first areas where AI agents could act with greater autonomy. Banks will still need to set rules, monitor activity, and handle exceptions. But the day-to-day act of initiating a transaction may, in some cases, require less direct human input.
Visa’s current phase is focused on testing and system design. As AI systems take on more responsibility, financial infrastructure will need to adapt to a new type of user, one that does not hold a card but can still make a purchase.
(Photo by CardMapr.nl)
See also: Goldman Sachs sees AI investment change to data centres
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