DBS pilots system that lets AI agents make payments for customers

Artificial intelligence is moving closer to the point where it can act, not just advise. A new pilot by DBS Bank shows how that shift may soon affect everyday payments, as financial institutions begin testing systems that allow AI agents to complete purchases on behalf of customers.

DBS is working with Visa to trial Visa Intelligent Commerce, a framework designed to support transactions initiated by AI software rather than humans. The system allows digital agents to search for products, select options, and complete purchases using payment credentials issued and controlled by the bank. According to reports from Asian Banking & Finance and Fintech Futures, the pilot has already processed real transactions, including food and beverage purchases made using DBS or POSB cards.

Moving from recommendations to real transactions

The trial highlights how banks are preparing for what some in the industry call “agent-driven commerce.” In this model, AI tools do more than recommend products or compare prices. They can execute the purchase itself, subject to rules set by both the customer and the issuing bank.

Visa’s approach keeps the bank at the centre of the process. Payment details are tokenised, and transactions pass through issuer-controlled approval flows designed to confirm identity, intent, and spending limits. This means the bank still decides whether the agent’s action fits the user’s permissions before money moves. The structure aims to address one of the biggest concerns around autonomous AI: how to maintain control and trust when software begins making financial decisions.

The DBS pilot is part of a wider effort to test where AI fits into financial infrastructure. Rather than treating AI as a customer-facing tool, banks are increasingly examining how it might change the mechanics of payments, fraud checks, and authorisation. Industry observers note that this marks a shift from AI as a productivity assistant to AI as an operational participant in transactions.

Early use cases focus on routine purchases

Early use cases for agent-based commerce are practical rather than futuristic. These include routine purchases such as ordering groceries, renewing subscriptions, booking travel, or restocking household items. In these cases, the agent follows instructions set in advance by the user, such as budget limits or preferred brands. DBS and Visa plan to expand the pilot into broader online shopping and travel bookings as testing continues, according to Fintech Futures.

The idea of AI executing purchases raises both opportunity and risk for financial institutions. On one hand, banks that support agent-based payments could gain a stronger role in digital commerce by acting as the control layer that manages consent and security. On the other, they must handle new questions about liability, authentication, and dispute handling if an agent makes a purchase the customer later challenges.

Security and governance will likely shape how fast this model spreads. Analysts often point out that customers may accept AI suggestions long before they accept AI decisions involving money. By keeping approval logic within the issuing bank’s systems, Visa’s framework attempts to reassure users that human oversight remains embedded in the process.

A wider shift in how enterprises deploy AI agents

The pilot also reflects a broader pattern in enterprise AI adoption. Over the past year, many companies have moved beyond testing chatbots or internal assistants and started placing AI into workflows that directly affect revenue, operations, or customer transactions. In banking, this includes fraud monitoring, credit scoring support, and automated customer service. Allowing AI to trigger payments could be the next step in that progression.

For DBS, which has invested heavily in digital banking systems, the trial fits into a longer push to integrate automation into financial services. The bank has previously focused on using data analytics and AI tools to streamline operations and personalise services. The new payment pilot extends that strategy into commerce itself.

Whether agent-based payments become common will depend on how comfortable customers feel delegating financial decisions to software. It will also depend on how clearly banks define the boundaries of what AI agents can and cannot do. Industry experts say adoption may begin with low-risk, repeat purchases before expanding to more complex transactions.

For now, the DBS and Visa pilot offers a glimpse of how payment systems may adapt if AI agents become part of daily digital life. Instead of only helping users choose what to buy, future systems may allow trusted software to complete the purchase — with banks acting as the gatekeepers that decide when those actions are allowed.

(Photo by Patrick Tomasso)

See also: How financial institutions are embedding AI decision-making

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