Bye Checkout, Hello AI! How we are Revolutionizing Shopping

Imagine Delegating Your Shopping – Is it Possible?

How often do you wish your shopping would just do itself? What used to sound like science fiction is now tangibly close! We're talking about Artificial Intelligence as your personal shopping assistant. The latest Mastercard Payment Pulse 2025 study shows that people in Germany are more open to this idea than ever before.

Your AI Agent Takes the Lead

In fact, four out of ten people in Germany can imagine having their purchases handled by an AI agent in the future. The tech-savvy generation of 30- to 39-year-olds are particularly keen—over half (56 percent!) say Yes to autonomous purchases! And, surprise, Berlin is the absolute frontrunner. Mastercard has recognized this trend and created a platform called Agent Pay that makes exactly this possible: The AI agent is securely registered and can conduct autonomous transactions on your behalf. CEO Peter Robejsek sums it up perfectly: We are moving toward a world where AI agents seamlessly manage everything from identity to payment themselves.

The Checkout Becomes Secondary

But it's not just online shopping that's getting smarter. We also love things to be uncomplicated in physical stores. Already, self-service checkouts are no problem for over three-quarters of Germans. The next step? Stores without a checkout process! Imagine just walking out, and your purchases are automatically assigned and billed to you via facial recognition. Here, too, the 30- to 39-year-olds are the pioneers.
And as for payment: Contactless has long been the new standard! Seven out of ten Germans use it. Even smartphones and smartwatches are indispensable for younger people (18-29 years) and are preferred at the till. We expect digital payment options today, and stores that don't offer them are out of luck: Almost two-thirds of 18- to 29-year-olds have walked out of a store because they couldn't pay digitally.
The message is clear: The future of shopping is digital, autonomous, and above all: secure! Are you ready to send your first AI agent shopping?

photo by No Revisions via Unplash