Mastercard estimates that by 2030, one in ten Europeans will use artificial intelligence agents for online shopping. In Spain, 31% of young people already expect to do so.
Mastercard projects that by 2030, one in ten Europeans will use artificial intelligence agents for online shopping, as reported by ecosistemastartup.com in their information on the report A Narrative on the Future of Shopping and Payments.
The study combines the company's own research, surveys, and insights from four experts in future studies from the United States, Europe, and Asia. Its foundation is a survey of 26,000 parents and teenagers aged 13 to 18 across 13 countries, including Spain.
In Spain, 66% of young people believe that AI will change the way their generation shops. 31% expect to use an AI-managed shopping assistant that recommends products, chooses from options, and pays according to pre-established rules. Among parents, the figure drops to 20%.
37% of minors would trust a recommendation made by AI more than that of a friend, and 23% trust it more than their parents' advice. Weekly use of AI for product research reaches 18% of teenagers, 14% of adults aged 18 to 34, and 10% of those over 55.
According to the report, teenagers turn to AI to support their purchasing decisions twice as much as their parents do. Juan Pablo Vivas, general director of Mastercard in Spain, describes it this way:
“Today we are facing an unprecedented transformation in the way we consume, driven by artificial intelligence and the rise of agent-based commerce.”
The agent described in the report can analyse large amounts of data, verify product descriptions, consult reviews from other customers, and complete the purchase. Magnus Lindkvist, the lead author of the study, raises the underlying consequence:
“By 2030, shopping and going shopping will no longer mean the same thing.”
For retailers, this means re-evaluating their loyalty programs, customer relationships, and digital experiences. Product information and sales policies will also need to be readable by machines.
In Spain, there are already real cases. Mastercard and Banco Santander completed Europe's first live end-to-end transaction with an AI agent, followed by Sabadell, BBVA, CaixaBank, Bankinter, and Abanca. The company is also working on a protocol called “verified intent,” developed with Google, which ensures that each order from the agent matches the buyer's instruction.
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