Opinion: Consumers Aren’t Yet Sold on AI Agents for Credit Card Transactions 

Almost all industries have been impacted by advances in artificial intelligence (AI), and that very much includes the world of credit cards and payment processing. AI is designed, of course, to improve processes. It can make shopping with a credit card smoother, faster, safer, and more personal. 

In many ways, strides in this technology are good for credit card issuers, merchants, and consumers. For example, AI helps card companies reduce fraud, an enormously expensive crime in the U.S. As reported by Merchant Cost Consulting, losses from credit card fraud will reach $12.5 billion in 2025.

Mastercard’s Agent Pay and Visa’s Intelligent Commerce platforms are tackling this problem. 

AI also helps merchants capture more business and enables consumers to get what they most want, without unnecessary friction. 

But there’s a bump in the road ahead — human hesitancy.

On April 30, 2025, Visa announced the imminent arrival of the company’s new product: its AI agent, a “find and buy” tool. Visa is partnering with such companies as OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, and Perplexity to connect their AI systems to its payments network. 

The AI agent will be ready for prime time within a couple of months, but more likely in the new year. 

People who have credit cards that use Visa as their payment processor will be able to do things with the AI agent like assemble a personalized vacation, then book all elements of the trip with a single click. For example, based on the cardholder’s wishes, the AI agent might recommend flights, hotels, tours, and ground transportation. 

Or maybe the cardholder wants to buy holiday gifts for various family members. The AI agent will suggest options based on such factors as the cardholder’s purchasing history and budget. 

After selecting what they want from the list, more magic happens. Instead of being routed to the websites to complete the purchase, the AI agent does it all. The cardholder makes one payment, and the money is routed to the different companies. 

Everything about the AI agent makes sense — to some people, that is. 

Not all consumers are on board with having an AI agent working on their behalf, which is why Visa and any other credit card issuers will need to approach promotions with great care. Instead of the concept of AI-enabled transactions being a natural thrill, many people back away.

The disconnect is real. A 2025 Pew Research Center study found that the U.S. public and artificial intelligence experts view AI very differently.

Forty-seven percent of the experts they surveyed are more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life, while only 11% of the public say the same. Interestingly, 22% of men think AI will positively impact the U.S., compared with 12% of women. 

The American public is apprehensive of AI, with only 11% of the population saying they’re more excited than concerned.

Moreover, a healthy portion of consumers remain wary of AI-driven shopping suggestions and payment transactions. A 2025 Omnisend study found that 66% of consumers refuse to let AI make purchases for them, even if it promises better deals.

In other words, it’s going to take a fair bit of convincing for a significant portion of the U.S. charging public to feel positive and comfortable with AI agents doing their shopping and making payments for them. 

Hesitancy won’t always come from expected consumers. As an attendee of Visa’s AI agent introduction event, I found the concept compelling, and I usually back away from new technology. 

Traveling is very important to me, but I genuinely dislike the process of putting all the pieces of an itinerary together. All those open screens translate to too many options and, very often, a delayed charging response. Human travel agents can help, but many charge a fee. 

AI agents, though, are free, so people like me — who can get bogged down in details and who are looking for a bargain — may overcome their doubts and be attracted to the technology. A one-click option sounds amazing. 

Yet, my Gen Z daughter genuinely enjoys scanning airlines and hotel websites, conducting her own compare and contrast research, and then booking directly.

When I asked her how she felt about the AI agent doing the heavy lifting and offering recommendations based on her past payment history, she almost physically backed away. Nope. Not interested. It feels creepy. 

Payment processors and credit card companies have their work cut out for them when it comes to showing cardholders how genuinely helpful this type of AI technology is.  

Preparing cardholders with the right information and in the right way will be essential.

For example, Visa’s AI agent will give people the option to dive into their shopping history as a way to make personalized shopping suggestions, the consumer will have the power to wipe that information away. This feature should be predominantly highlighted.

Security assurances will also be essential. How can cardholders trust an AI agent to send their account information to multiple companies to make a series of purchases all at once?

That can leave people worried that their data is exposed, opening them up to identity theft. However, Visa is leaning hard into tokenization, which greatly reduces fraud. This must be explained and emphasized. 

The experts who develop or are close to this technology may not understand why so many cardholders are nervous about AI, including as shopping agents. But this is serious business.

Americans care deeply about their money, credit, and privacy. Stepping back and looking at the upcoming changes through their eyes should be enlightening. Go slow, be respectful, and remind everyone that AI is a tool they can use — or abandon.