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New research from Visa reveals that a majority of business leaders are preparing for a world where artificial intelligence doesn't just assist commerce but actively participates in it. The Visa Business-to-AI (B2AI) Report, conducted in conjunction with Morning Consult, highlights how AI is already influencing demand and reshaping commercial decision-making.
Quick Intel
53% of U.S. businesses surveyed would allow AI agents to negotiate prices or terms directly with other AI agents
Nearly 40% of Americans have made a purchase they normally would not have considered due to an AI agent or tool
77% of businesses are already using or piloting AI in their operations
71% of businesses are willing to optimize products and offers specifically for AI agents
Only 27% of consumers are comfortable allowing AI to spend money autonomously without limits
Trust increases significantly when financial institutions are involved, with 36% trusting bank-backed AI systems
Visa defines this next phase of commerce as B2AI, an emerging economic model in which AI agents act as active participants in commercial decision-making and execution, while humans remain accountable for intent and outcomes.
"Commerce is moving from market-to-human to market-to-machine," said Frank Cooper III, Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. "B2AI describes what happens next as AI agents begin evaluating, negotiating and transacting on behalf of people. In that world, as always, trust becomes the critical infrastructure. If we don't build it into machine-mediated commerce, adoption stalls."
For years, AI has optimized recommendations and streamlined operations. The new data suggests it is now crossing into decision-making territory. Among business decision-makers surveyed, 53% would permit AI agents to negotiate directly with other AI agents, 88% are willing to provide pricing or inventory data to enterprise AI systems, and 55% are already familiar with the concept of B2AI commerce. This signals a turning point: brands are no longer just marketing to humans but preparing to transact more freely with intelligent systems acting on behalf of customers and enterprises.
On the consumer side, acceptance is accelerating, but trust remains the defining factor for full adoption. The report found that 58% of Americans are comfortable with AI comparing prices, 55% are comfortable with AI applying discounts, and 38% are comfortable with AI completing a purchase. Meanwhile, only 27% are comfortable allowing AI to spend money autonomously without limits, and 60% would not allow AI to spend any amount without approval.
"The message is unmistakable: people are open to AI acting for them, not instead of them," added Cooper. "Our findings show that trust is the adoption switch for agentic commerce. Consumers are willing to let AI act on their behalf, but only when they retain visibility, control and the ability to intervene."
Notably, trust increases significantly when financial institutions are involved: 36% trust bank-backed AI systems, 35% trust payment network-enabled AI, and only 28% trust independent AI agents.
The shift is especially pronounced among younger consumers. Nearly half of Gen Z (48%) say they trust payment network-enabled AI systems, compared to only 20% of Boomers. Among Gen Z and Millennials using AI shopping assistants, nearly half report making purchases they wouldn't otherwise have considered due to AI recommendations.
The data signals that AI is shifting from support system to transaction participant. Businesses are preparing for it. Consumers are cautiously embracing it. Trust will determine how fast it scales.
About Visa
Visa is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating payments transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement.
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