# Agentic commerce has a trust problem

> Mastercard and PYMNTS say AI shopping agents will only scale if consumers and merchants feel as protected as they do online today.
- Title: Agentic commerce has a trust problem · Pymnts | Shortify
- Summary: Mastercard and PYMNTS say AI shopping agents will only scale if consumers and merchants feel as protected as they do online today. Agentic commerce will grow…
- Keywords: agentic commerce, agentic ai, mastercard, pymnts, ecommerce, gaurang shah, karen webster, new york city tech hub, ai shopping, buy for me, google ai mode, merchant control
- Source: Pymnts — https://pymnts.com/news/artificial-intelligence/2026/agentic-commerce-needs-ecommerce-level-trust-to-scale-mastercard-pymnts-panelists-say
- Author: PYMNTS
- Published: 2026-09-16T01:10:38+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: agentic commerce, agentic ai, mastercard, pymnts, ecommerce, gaurang shah, karen webster, new york city tech hub, ai shopping, buy for me, google ai mode, merchant control
## Trust comes first
Mastercard says agentic commerce cannot scale until shoppers and merchants trust AI agents as much as they trust standard eCommerce checkout.

> Agentic commerce needs to build trust among both consumers and merchants to scale
## Borrow from eCommerce
Roundtable participants said shoppers need familiar signals after an order, including clear updates, expectation setting, and open communication.
## Merchants fear losing control
Gaurang Shah said merchants worry that AI agents could take over the shopping experience. Mastercard says its tools let brands control agent interactions.

> lose control of the shopping experience
## The shift will take years
Executives agreed that mass adoption will not happen overnight. Some expect big retailers to gain, while others think agents may help shoppers find new sellers.

> it will take years for a large-scale shift to agentic commerce to unfold
## Consumers are already trying it
PYMNTS Intelligence found about half of American adults have used AI to help buy retail goods, and 22% now start online retail searches in an AI tool.

> 22% now begin online retail search in an AI tool
## Early examples are live
Mastercard pointed to Amazon’s Buy For Me and Google’s AI Mode as signs that agentic buying is already moving from theory into real checkout flows.
## Key takeaway

Agentic commerce will grow slowly unless it gives shoppers clear communication and merchants real control over how AI agents represent them.