Why AI Agents Can Buy Your Groceries, But Not Much Else Yet

AI agents handle grocery purchases effectively, but broader transaction capabilities remain limited despite infrastructure announcements from major players.

OpenAI, Stripe, Inc. (NASDAQ:STNE), Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP), Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:MA) and PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) have announced products targeting agentic commerce. The announcements lack specifics, but the underlying technology signals preparation for AI agents to execute most consumer transactions. The industry remains in the first phase of this transition, with unresolved questions around fraud prevention, risk management and agent identification.

The Payments Chicken-And-Egg Problem

Payment companies face a fundamental question: start with merchants or consumers. Issuing banks rarely serve as entry points.

Two decades ago, merchant payments dominated as the preferred starting point. Block, Inc. (NYSE:SQ), then Square, emerged in 2009 when small merchants struggled with card processing costs. Local businesses set card payment minimums or operated cash-only. Apple Pay didn’t exist in the U.S., creating demand for merchant-focused payment solutions.

This wave produced Stripe (merchant payment technology for startups), Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE:LSPD) (restaurant payments), Block (small business processing, banking and capital) and vertical fintech companies like Shopify. These companies generated trillions in economic value over 25 years.

Solving Merchant Acceptance In AI

Merchant acceptance for AI transactions should prove straightforward in theory. Companies want engaged users who make purchases and generate revenue. The infrastructure already exists.

In practice, the process moves slowly compared to typical tech adoption cycles, though payment industry veterans consider this their fastest-moving project.

When Apple Pay launched, large retailers joined quickly while smaller merchants lagged. This cycle differs because platforms like Shopify and PayPal specialize in solving technology adoption challenges for merchants.

The challenge centers on awareness and motivation. Smaller merchants unfamiliar with agentic commerce face navigation difficulties. A startup consumer packaged goods brand in Los Angeles differs from a 40-store furniture retailer in Arizona. Even with available technology, someone must convince merchants to adopt the new protocol (except in the PayPal-Mastercard case, according to public relations materials).

The AI Anomaly

Can AI agents complete purchases without merchant involvement? Tests suggest yes. Models demonstrate sufficient intelligence, and computer vision and computer use APIs prove reliable enough to navigate screens.

Payment and technology companies don’t deploy this capability widely because agentic fraud concerns intensify behind the scenes. This problem extends beyond theory—agentic fraud occurs now.

Stripe and Shopify build protocol layers rather than allowing agents to scrape existing checkout flows. The approach filters transactions, admitting only legitimate purchases initially. Given autonomous agent transaction capabilities, fraud patterns will evolve over time.

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