Overview
- Visa announced on Thursday that it has connected its global payments network to ChatGPT so users can link Visa cards and let AI agents search for, select and complete purchases at merchants that accept Visa.
- OpenAI will supply the agent technology that finds products and initiates orders while Visa will handle payment authorization, fraud detection, tokenization and the dispute processes needed for real transactions.
- Visa says the initial rollout will emphasize consumer safeguards such as user-set spending limits, required purchase approvals from the customer and limits on authorized merchants to reduce accidental or fraudulent charges.
- The partnership replaces OpenAI’s Instant Checkout program, which was retired in March after technical problems and weak merchant adoption linked in part to a reported 4% merchant fee.
- Visa and OpenAI have not disclosed commercial terms or fee structures, a gap that leaves questions about merchant costs, liability in disputed cases and how agents will move from mandatory approvals to later autonomous purchases.