In an age where AI can write emails, predict customer behaviour, and even negotiate contracts, the next frontier is here: agentic commerce – AI agents that don’t just assist, but act. From paying for groceries to booking flights, autonomous agents are poised to reshape not just how we shop, but who shops on our behalf.
1. What is Agentic Commerce?
Agentic commerce enables autonomous software agents to make decisions and execute tasks on behalf of humans, with minimal or no intervention. These agents promise to:
• Understand user intent.
• Search, compare, negotiate, and transact.
• Handle delivery, returns, and post-sale engagement.
They are more than advanced chatbots or recommendation engines. They are persistent, decision-capable digital personas—shoppers, negotiators, assistants—that operate in real time and remember the users preferences.
2. AI-Commerce is Coming to Payments: Market Growth and Adoption
a. Explosive Growth Ahead
• The agentic AI market is expected to grow from $7.3 billion (2025) to $41.3 billion by 2030, at over 40% CAGR, according to the Global Skill Development Council (GSDC).
• According to a 2024 McKinsey Digital report, over 85% of enterprises plan to deploy AI agents in their digital workflows by 2026.
b. Enterprise Momentum
• Companies like Salesforce (Agentforce) and Stripe are integrating agent-based actions into CRMs and checkout APIs.
• Edgar Dunn & Co. estimates that $1.7 trillion in agent-led payments will occur annually by 2030.
c. Consumer Readiness
• A 2025 TechRadar survey found 24% of consumers would let an AI agent purchase low-risk items on their behalf—rising to 32% among Gen Z.
• Use cases range from automated bill payment to subscription management and last-mile logistics.
d. Payments Infrastructure
Traditional payment systems (card rails, ACH) aren’t built for machine-native actors. New layers are needed:
• Programmable payments (via CBDCs or smart contracts).
• Agent registries and permissioned APIs.
• Cryptographic consent logs to prevent fraud or manipulation.
3. Enterprise and Education in Action
AI agentic tools are already being deployed and taught widely.
a. Enterprise Use Cases
• Salesforce Einstein Copilot provides agentic workflows across sales, support, and marketing.
• Stripe and PayPal now support agent-initiated payments.
• OpenAI and Microsoft offer tools to build custom agents integrated into productivity and commerce stacks.
b. Professional Development
• Oxford University’s “Agentic Workflows” course helps professionals design ethical, secure AI agents.
• Industry leaders like the UK Payments Association urge providers to prep for agent-led checkout, describing it as “inevitable.”
The rate of progress in the take up of agentic commerce is something Davies Hickman is analysing for our clients; will the promise match the reality.