A recent demonstration by Mastercard suggests that payment systems may be heading toward a future where software agents — not humans — complete transactions. During the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the payments giant showcased what it described as its first fully authenticated “agentic commerce” purchase, marking a potential turning point in how digital payments are initiated and executed.
From user clicks to autonomous agents
In the demonstration, Mastercard presented a workflow in which an AI-powered software agent independently searched for a product, selected a merchant, verified credentials, and completed payment — all without direct human input at the point of purchase. The user had previously set spending rules and permissions, allowing the agent to act on their behalf within clearly defined boundaries.
Unlike traditional e-commerce, where consumers manually approve every transaction, agentic commerce relies on delegated authority. Once configured, these agents can manage routine purchasing tasks such as subscriptions, replenishments, and price comparisons, effectively becoming digital buyers embedded in everyday workflows.
Security remains the central question
Mastercard emphasised that the transaction was “fully authenticated”, using its existing identity, tokenisation, and fraud-prevention infrastructure. According to the company, the same layers of protection that secure card payments today — device verification, behavioural signals, and real-time risk scoring — were applied to the agent-driven purchase.
This point is critical. As autonomous systems begin to transact, liability and trust shift from individual users to platforms and algorithms. Ensuring that an AI agent acts strictly within authorised limits will be essential if consumers and regulators are to accept this new model.
Why India, and why now
The choice of venue was deliberate. India’s rapidly expanding digital economy, combined with widespread adoption of mobile payments and identity frameworks, makes it an ideal testing ground for next-generation financial technologies. Mastercard framed the summit demonstration as part of a broader push to integrate artificial intelligence into commerce infrastructure across emerging and developed markets alike.
Industry analysts note that agentic commerce could dramatically reshape procurement, personal finance, and supply chains. Businesses may deploy agents to manage inventory and negotiate prices automatically, while consumers could rely on personal AI assistants to handle routine spending.
A glimpse of commerce’s next phase
While the technology is still in its early stages, Mastercard’s live demonstration signals that autonomous payments are moving from concept to reality. The implications are far-reaching: fewer manual checkouts, more personalised purchasing, and a shift toward continuous, machine-to-machine commerce.
However, widespread adoption will depend on regulatory clarity, robust authentication standards, and public confidence in AI decision-making. For now, agentic commerce remains experimental — but the summit showcased a credible blueprint for how software agents could soon become active participants in the global payments ecosystem.
Newshub Editorial in Asia – 24 February 2026
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