AI Gets a Wallet: DBS Bank Lets Bots Go Shopping
Artificial intelligence is finally moving from giving advice to actually swiping your card. DBS Bank, teaming up with Visa, is testing a system that lets AI agents make purchases for you — yes, your digital assistant can now buy snacks.
The project, called Visa Intelligent Commerce, allows bots to browse, pick items, and pay using credentials managed by the bank. Early tests have already seen the AI successfully order food and drinks — proving robots get hungry too, apparently.
From “Here’s a Suggestion” to “I Bought It Already”
In this new world of agent-driven commerce, AIs can act on your behalf, but only within limits you and your bank set. Every purchase still runs through the bank’s approval process, so if your AI tries to order a yacht, you’ll (hopefully) get a heads-up.
What It Means for You
At first, bots will handle repetitive chores: groceries, travel bookings, and renewing subscriptions — basically, the boring stuff. Over time, they might move on to bigger buys, assuming everyone’s cool with digital assistants holding their credit cards.
The upside? Convenience and fewer clicks. The downside? New headaches about what happens when your AI buys something dumb. Visa’s framework keeps the bank in charge, making sure there’s still a human in the financial loop (for now).
The Bigger Shift
Across industries, AIs are graduating from chatbots to actual workers — doing fraud checks, credit scoring, and now, transactions. DBS has long embraced automation, and this pilot is its latest step toward a future where your AI might be your accountant, shopper, and maybe — one day — financial therapist.
Just be ready for the day your bot suggests buying itself an upgrade.
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