Guess what? AI’s not just the playground of scrappy startups anymore. 😊 Heavyweights like Visa and Mastercard are throwing their hats into the ring with some seriously smart shopping tech. Visa’s rolling out “Intelligent Commerce”, while Mastercard’s countering with “Agent Pay”—both aiming to make your online shopping sprees more tailored, safer, and, let’s be honest, a whole lot easier.
Here’s the scoop on Visa’s move: it lets AI agents do the shopping for you, sticking to whatever rules you set. “You call the shots, and Visa takes care of the nitty-gritty,” explains Jack Forestell, Visa’s big cheese in Product and Strategy. They’ve got some pretty impressive friends in high places, too—think Microsoft, IBM, and OpenAI.
Mastercard’s playing a different angle, weaving payments right into AI suggestions. Picture this: you’re about to hit the big 3-0, and your AI buddy not only picks out the perfect party outfit based on your style, the venue, and even if it’s going to rain (because, of course) but also buys it for you. Mastercard’s teaming up with Microsoft and IBM to make this dream a reality.
And they’re in good company. Amazon’s tinkering with “Buy for Me”, and OpenAI’s beefing up ChatGPT to handle your shopping lists. The bottom line? AI in shopping isn’t just coming—it’s already here, and it’s getting sharper every single day. �
