Agentic commerce is here – are we ready for what comes next?

Julie Fergerson, CEO and Co-Founder at Merchant Risk Council, explores if we're prepared for the rise of agentic commerce and its implications for the future.

In 2025, the MRC community gathered at our fall events in Amsterdam and San Diego, where one topic dominated discussions: agentic commerce. Not the theoretical version predicted years ago, but the practical, increasingly sophisticated reality that is already reshaping how consumers search, shop, and transact. Across all conversations, one theme stood out: while the potential of this technology is extraordinary, the risks, regulatory gaps, and unresolved questions are just as significant. We are at a pivotal moment, one that will shape the next decade of payments and fraud prevention.

Agentic commerce has arrived quietly and quickly

No longer a future concept, agentic commerce is already operational. Platforms like Perplexity now allow consumers to search for a product, compare options instantly, and complete a purchase with a single click, all within the AI interface. While the process is simple for the consumer, it is far less straightforward for the merchant. When I tested a purchase myself, the retailer later reported that the order appeared fraudulent because it originated from what seemed to be automated bot activity. That small moment captures the core tension: when an AI agent makes the purchase, how does a retailer determine whether it is a ‘good bot’ or a ‘bad bot’? This question is becoming increasingly difficult to answer.

Good bots, bad bots, and the disappearing line between them

Today, 51% of Internet traffic is bots, and 37% considered malicious, according to Imperva’s 2025 Bad Bot Report. Historically, merchants could distinguish between automated behaviour and real consumers. However, more AI platforms now operate within browsers, generating traffic that appears strikingly human. Industry discussions are increasingly focused on potential standards, including: an agent-initiated transaction flag, a human-not-present indicator, and authentication markers that bind an agent to a consumer. Nothing is standardised yet. We are in a moment reminiscent of the early browser wars, when Mosaic and Netscape dominated before today’s major players reshaped the landscape.

Retailers are cautious and curious

For most retailers, this phase is less about rushing into implementation and more about ensuring readiness. Merchants are mapping how AI-driven traffic reaches their sites and assessing compatibility with emerging identification frameworks.

At the same time, major players are already experimenting aggressively:

• Spotify lets users play music directly via ChatGPT. 
• Walmart announced support in ChatGPT for simple commands like ‘order milk’ to initiate fulfilment. 
• Etsy delivers curated product recommendations through ChatGPT within seconds. 
• Amazon’s Buy with Me enables an AI agent to find products on external sites and purchase them using the consumer’s Amazon wallet. 
• Booking.com uses AI to build highly personalised travel itineraries that resemble working with a dedicated travel agent. 

These developments are not fringe experiments; they signal a broader shift toward hyper-personalised, AI-driven commerce in which browsing, buying, and automation begin to converge. For agentic commerce to cross into mainstream adoption, the experience must deliver a clear tenfold improvement in time saved, convenience, or cost. I believe 2026 will be a defining year for these leapfrog advancements.

Innovation without guardrails: regulation, liability, and intent

As technology advances, regulation struggles to keep pace. The EU AI Act, passed in 2024, is poised to impact how merchants utilise AI in payments and fraud prevention. Currently, there is no explicit carve-out for fraud, despite the widespread reliance on AI for risk assessment. We expect clarifications before enforcement, but the direction is clear: global AI regulation will expand.

Critical questions remain unresolved:

• Consumer intent: if an AI agent purchases the wrong item, is the resulting dispute considered an unauthorised transaction?
• Authentication: who authorises the agent to act on the consumer’s behalf, and how is that authorisation validated?
• Liability: if an agent behaves unpredictably, who bears responsibility? The retailer, the wallet provider, the AI platform, or the consumer?

These questions must be resolved before agentic commerce can scale safely and sustainably.

Merchant priorities that matter most

Thriving in this new landscape will require clarity, discipline, and intentional action. To prepare for rapid shifts ahead, merchants should focus on:

• Monitoring AI-driven traffic to understand how agents interact with their platforms; 
• Aligning with emerging know your agent (KYA) frameworks and ensuring future compatibility; 
• Re-evaluating fraud prevention strategies as bot behaviour becomes more human-like; 
• Tracking global AI regulations closely, as compliance requirements will shift quickly. 

The future of commerce is taking shape

Agentic commerce has already arrived. However, its path to mainstream adoption depends on resolving core challenges related to identity, intent, authentication, and liability. As with every major technological shift, the merchants who experiment early, adapt quickly, and build resilient fraud prevention and compliance frameworks will lead the next era of ecommerce. The possibilities ahead are extraordinary, but so is the responsibility – and the time to prepare is now.

This editorial piece was first published in The Paypers' Global Ecommerce Report 2026, which provides a complete overview of key trends and strategies to help businesses worldwide succeed. Download your free copy today to explore in-depth insights on global ecommerce trends, the latest innovations in payment solutions, and strategies to stay ahead in a competitive market.

About the author

Julie Fergerson, CEO and Co-Founder of the Merchant Risk Council, has 25+ years of experience developing, delivering, and promoting Internet-based technologies. She has a proven track record of bringing key stakeholders together to solve difficult problems and positioning existing technology to meet the needs of an audience without changing the fundamental value of that technology. Prior to her appointment as CEO of the MRC, Julie was Senior Vice President of Industry Solutions at Ethoca.

 

About Merchant Risk Council (MRC)

The Merchant Risk Council (MRC) is the premier global non-profit membership association for payments and fraud prevention professionals, established in 2000. MRC empowers members to stay connected, current, and influential within the industry by emphasising collaboration, networking, education, and advocacy. Acting as a central hub for ecommerce fraud and payments professionals, solution providers, and brands of all sizes, MRC drives industry innovation and education. With operations in the US, Europe, and APAC, and expanding into LATAM, MRC is continuously growing its global presence.