More than one in ten consumers are expected to regularly use AI agents to make online purchases on their behalf by 2030, according to a new Mastercard report titled A Short History of the Future of Shopping and Payments.
The report combines new Mastercard research with insights from four internationally recognised experts from the United States, Europe and Asia, examining how artificial intelligence is expected to transform shopping and payments by the end of the decade.
Among the key trends identified is the growing use of AI agents to handle routine purchases and even negotiate prices on behalf of consumers. Smart devices such as watches and rings are also expected to provide personalised product information before and after purchases, while AI will play a more active role inside physical stores.
AI Agents Enter Everyday Life
The report was produced in collaboration with four internationally recognised experts on the future of AI and commerce: Magnus Lindkvist, Patrick Dixon, Katja Forbes and Theodora Lau.
Routine and recurring purchases, including groceries, medicines and subscription services, are expected to be among the first tasks consumers delegate to AI agents.
“By 2030, buying a product and the experience of shopping will not necessarily be the same thing,” Lindkvist said. “AI agents will take care of more routine purchases, leaving the shopping experience increasingly focused on discovery, inspiration and enjoyment.”
Younger Consumers Already Embracing AI
The forecasts are supported by findings from a recent international Mastercard survey, which indicates that changes in shopping habits are already under way.
The survey of 26,000 parents and teenagers aged 13 to 18 across 13 countries found that teenagers already use AI when making purchasing decisions at approximately twice the rate of their parents.
Meanwhile, 62% believe AI will significantly change how their generation shops in the future.
Trust in the technology is also growing. Some 31% of teenagers said they would trust an AI product recommendation more than one from a friend, while 23% would place greater trust in AI than in advice from their parents.
Businesses Face a New Type of Customer
The report highlights the emergence of a new kind of retail customer: the AI agent.
Within seconds, an agent could analyse large volumes of data, cross-check information, assess reviews and user comments, and then select and purchase a product.
For businesses, this means digital services, product information and loyalty programmes will need to be equally accessible and understandable to both people and AI agents. Details such as certifications, product origins and sustainability credentials will also need to be easy to locate and verify.
Trust Becomes a Competitive Advantage
According to the report, trust will be a decisive factor in the development of agentic commerce.
“Every major change in the history of commerce has essentially also been a change in how trust is built,” Lindkvist said. “From traditional marketplaces to e-commerce, every development has required us to trust something new.”
Consumers will now be asked to trust technology not only to recommend products but also to act on their behalf.
According to Theodora Lau, businesses and financial institutions will need to earn that trust through clear frameworks governing identification, consent, authorisation and accountability.
She predicts that by 2030, at least three G20 regulators will have issued formal guidelines for the registration and oversight of AI agents.
The intent behind a payment is also expected to become as important as the transaction itself. A consumer’s authorisation for an AI agent to act on their behalf will need to be recognised and verified before a purchase is completed.
Agentic Commerce Already Becoming Reality
Although the report looks ahead to 2030, the first examples of agentic commerce are already emerging.
Earlier this year, Mastercard conducted the first agentic transactions in a regulated environment in Cyprus, in partnership with Alpha Bank Cyprus, Eurobank Limited and Bank of Cyprus.
The transactions demonstrated how AI-based solutions could be safely integrated into e-commerce while maintaining transparency and consumer control.
Conducted through Mastercard Agent Pay, they showed how an AI agent could complete purchases on a consumer’s behalf, provided that explicit consent had been granted and procedures were in place to ensure identification, verification and data protection.
