Consumers Wary of Letting AI Handle Payments

As consumers increasingly adopt artificial intelligence to browse and buy, their willingness to let AI complete the final financial step remains low. A new Visa study reveals that just 23% of U.S. consumers trust generative AI to handle payments on their behalf, highlighting a significant disconnect between AI’s role in the shopping journey and its acceptance at the checkout.

The research shows that while AI tools are gaining traction for tasks like product discovery and recommendations, only a small minority feel comfortable delegating actual transactions to the technology. This hesitation suggests that despite growing familiarity with AI, consumers still see the act of paying as too sensitive to be left to an automated system.

Agentic payments, where AI acts autonomously to complete purchases, depend on that trust. Financial firms and merchants are increasingly exploring such systems to reduce friction, but consumer sentiment may slow adoption. Security concerns, fear of error, and lack of control likely drive the caution, though the study does not specify exact reasons.

For the industry, the wider implication is that building confidence will require more than convenience. Transparent safeguards and demonstrable reliability will likely be essential, as will clear consumer control over AI-driven transactions. The Visa data underscores that technical capability alone is not enough if users do not feel safe handing over the purse strings.