# Mastercard: Merchants Want AI Shoppers Without Losing the Customer

> Merchants demand AI shopping tools that keep customers without sacrificing brand loyalty.
- Title: Mastercard: Merchants Want AI Shoppers Without Losing the…
- Summary: Merchants demand AI shopping tools that keep customers without sacrificing brand loyalty. Merchants want AI agents to handle discovery without losing direct…
- Keywords: agentic commerce, mastercard, merchant, consumer, payments, brand loyalty, ai agents, business, finance, Merchants, Want, Shoppers
- Source: Pymnts — https://pymnts.com/commerce/ecommerce/2026/mastercard-merchants-want-ai-shoppers-without-losing-the-customer
- Author: PYMNTS
- Published: 2026-09-24T08:03:18+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: agentic commerce, ai, mastercard, merchant, consumer, payments, brand loyalty, ai agents, business, finance
## Agentic Commerce Transition
AI shopping tools are getting faster but merchants aren't ready to let them buy.

> The searches are already happening
## Gaurang Shah on AI Usage
Consumers use AI for discovery but stop at recommendations.

> The access is very easy
## Consumer vs Merchant Trust
Consumers expect protection; merchants want liability with the agent.

> The consumer though has the baseline expectation that they’re protected
## Merchant Control Challenge
Merchants need to verify agent legitimacy and consumer authorization.

> A merchant needs to know whether the agent reaching its checkout is legitimate
## AI as Discovery Channel
Merchants want both their own and third-party AI channels.

> They want to offer both channels
## What AI Optimizes For
AI may prioritize price over brand loyalty, hurting merchants.

> The simplest optimization function for a shopping agent could also be one of the most destructive for brands
## Key takeaway

Merchants want AI agents to handle discovery without losing direct customer relationships.