Visa and ChatGPT: autonomous purchases are now possible
Visa announced Wednesday the integration of its payments network within ChatGPT. This allows the chatbot to act as an artificial intelligence agent capable of completing transactions on the user’s behalf, without direct intervention.
How does it work? The user links their Visa card to ChatGPT. The chatbot can then search, select and purchase products at merchants that accept Visa. The payments network provides authorization and anti-fraud oversight.
Jack Forestell, Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, explained at an event in San Francisco: “As AI agents become active participants in the economy, Visa’s focus is on ensuring transactions are reliable, secure and seamless.”
Forestell gave a concrete example: a customer orders wireless headphones for less than $150. ChatGPT finds the product under those parameters and purchases it automatically.
Background This is not OpenAI’s first attempt at e-commerce. In 2024 it launched Instant Checkout, which allowed the chatbot to search for specific items. However, the process generated errors and businesses rejected the 4% commission that OpenAI charged. The company retired the feature last March.
The collaboration with Visa is different because it is not limited to a specific retailer. Now any merchant that accepts Visa can receive orders initiated by the AI agent.
Risks and protections Banks and retailers have expressed concerns: a customer could spend more than expected, the agent could buy the wrong item, or the user could claim that he or she did not authorize the transaction. To mitigate these risks, Visa implemented spending limits, mandatory approval steps, and a list of approved merchants.
The competition is also advancing. Mastercard has begun developing similar features, although on a smaller scale. For example, a coffee shop could authorize an AI agent to acquire advertising or web provider services.
Visa and OpenAI did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement or the fees that could apply to merchants or clients.
