The digital commerce market is taking a decisive step into the era of autonomous agents. Animoca Brands, in collaboration with Visa, has launched a pilot project that allows artificial intelligence not just to recommend products, but to independently purchase them. Now, AI agents on the Minds platform can analyze discounts on Visa cards, select optimal offers, and make purchases on behalf of the user.
The technology is based on the Visa Intelligent Commerce infrastructure. As part of the pilot, the first store where the system was tested was the Bruce Lee Club in Hong Kong. The agents scan available card rewards and find suitable products, completely eliminating the human factor at the search and payment stage.
It is important to emphasize that users retain full control over the process. They independently set spending limits and transaction rules. Payments are processed through Visa's secure tokenization system, which prevents direct transfer of card data to third parties. This is a critically important aspect for security in the era of agent commerce.
Animoca Brands CEO Yat Siu called this step a transition from simple recommendations to "agent commerce." According to him, AI takes over routine actions within strictly defined permissions, freeing the user from having to spend time searching for the best deals.
Minds Platform: No Coding Required and Scalability Potential
The Minds platform allows users to create and configure AI agents without programming skills. This opens up access to the technology for the mass user. The company plans to scale the service to other regions, which could radically change the landscape of e-commerce.
Recall that earlier in June, Alchemy, together with Visa, launched the AgentCard service, which also allows AI agents to make online purchases. However, the Animoca Brands project stands out for its integration with the existing Web3 ecosystem and gamification, making it particularly interesting for the crypto community.
Expert opinion: The launch of autonomous AI agents for shopping is not just another experiment, but a fundamental shift in the consumption paradigm. If the technology proves its effectiveness and safety, we will witness the emergence of a new class of digital assistants that will manage personal finances and conduct transactions without human intervention. For the cryptocurrency market, this means an explosive growth in demand for solutions for microtransactions and smart contracts managed by AI.