AI commerce has started. Is your company ready to be paid by an agent?
By John Samuelson · 2026-07-28 · 3 min read
Agents are moving from research to buying on your behalf, and then to transacting with each other, on programmable payment rails.
Three stages
AI commerce is arriving in stages. First, agents help people research and compare.
Next, agents act on people's behalf: ordering, negotiating and paying.
Then agents transact directly with other agents.
Payments become programmable
Along the way, payments are becoming programmable, and digital assets and stablecoins are moving into mainstream settlement rails for these transactions.
What to do now
Companies that prepare now will be ready to sell to, buy from and get paid by AI agents. Start by making your catalog, pricing and order flows readable by machines.