Preparing for an agent-led economy

Commerce is entering a new era defined by agentic artificial intelligence – systems that can act autonomously on behalf of consumers to search, select and complete purchases.

This shift is more than a technological evolution; it represents a fundamental change in how transactions will happen online and how businesses capture demand, build trust and secure payments.

Based on new research from PYMNTS Intelligence and Worldpay, this article takes a closer look at the rise of agentic AI. Let's explore the opportunities and challenges agentic commerce presents for merchants and payments providers, and get answers to key questions businesses are asking as this trend takes shape.

See full report from PYMNTS Intelligence and Worldpay.

What is agentic AI?

Agentic AI refers to autonomous digital agents powered by advanced generative models and machine learning that can:

• Interpret consumer intent
• Search across product catalogs and services
• Compare options
• Complete transactions, including payment execution

In essence, these AI agents do more than assist. They act on behalf of the consumer, often without direct human intervention at every step.

This contrasts with traditional AI, which helps with recommendations or search but still relies on the customer to manually complete purchases. Agentic AI closes the loop, from discovery to payment.

How big is the opportunity?

Agentic commerce is gaining traction rapidly. According to PYMNTS research, the market for agentic AI–enabled commerce could reach trillions of dollars by 2030.

Consumer openness to these systems is growing: Nearly half of shoppers are willing to let AI agents make purchases on their behalf. Analysts at leading firms also project that AI shopping agents will significantly expand e-commerce growth in the coming years.

This potential has attracted major innovation from key players across payments and commerce, signaling a broader industry pivot toward enabling autonomous shopping experiences.

Why agentic AI matters for merchants and payments

Agentic AI changes the classic commerce funnel:

• Discovery and search shift from brand websites to AI platforms
• Customers may no longer “visit” your store; agents evaluate and transact for them
• Payment flows become embedded within conversations and autonomous workflows

For merchants, this means visibility is no longer tied solely to traditional digital touchpoints such as search ranking or email campaigns. Instead, success increasingly depends on structured data, streamlined integrations and the ability to be findable and trusted by AI agents.

From a payments perspective, these autonomous transactions require:

• Secure agent-level authentication
• Protocols that bridge intent and execution with accountability
• New fraud and compliance controls that account for machine-initiated activity

Initiatives such as the Agent Payments Protocol and Model Context Protocol are early steps toward standardised, secure agentic payment flows.

What concerns should businesses address now?

Agentic commerce isn’t without its challenges. Widespread adoption depends on:

1. Trust and consumer protection

Consumers still worry about fraud, data misuse and unauthorised charges. Transparent controls and safeguards are critical to build confidence in autonomous systems.

2. Regulatory and compliance complexity

Global privacy and payments regulations differ widely. Businesses must navigate these frameworks while ensuring agentic AI systems act within legal boundaries.

3. Merchant risk and liability

When an AI agent makes decisions on behalf of a consumer, questions arise around responsibility for errors, disputes or fraud. Clear governance and liability models are needed.

What should businesses do to prepare?

Whether you’re a retailer, marketplace operator or payments provider, here’s a strategy roadmap to lead in the agentic era:

Build trust as the foundation

Implement secure identity verification, robust fraud defenses and transparent data practices to reassure both consumers and partners.

Invest in resilient, agent-ready infrastructure

Ensure your e-commerce systems deliver machine-readable product, pricing and availability data that AI agents can act on efficiently.

Embed agentic AI into core commerce and payments strategies

Move beyond experimentation. Integrate agentic capabilities across key customer touch points, from discovery and cart building to checkout and post-purchase services.

Shape emerging standards

Early adoption not only offers competitive edge but also helps define protocols and best practices for secure, interoperable agentic ecosystems.

The path forward for agentic commerce

Agentic AI is no longer a distant concept – it’s reshaping commerce right now. Businesses that understand this shift and act strategically to secure trust, adapt infrastructure and integrate autonomous experiences will position themselves at the forefront of the next digital economy.

At Worldpay, we’re closely watching these developments and helping merchants navigate both the opportunity and complexity of agentic commerce.

A version of this article was originally published on PYMNTS.com and is republished here with permission.