Key insights
- Visa's survey indicates growing business openness to AI-driven negotiations, with 53% of US businesses willing to allow AI agents to negotiate on their behalf. Consumer comfort varies, with price comparison and discount application being more accepted than autonomous spending. This trend suggests a gradual integration of AI in commerce, potentially impacting transaction volumes and business strategies, but the immediate market impact on US equities is limited.
SAN FRANCISCO - Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) released survey results showing 53% of U.S. businesses would allow artificial intelligence agents to negotiate prices or terms directly with other AI agents on their behalf, according to a press release statement.The payment network giant, with a market capitalization of $569 billion, continues to position itself at the forefront of commerce innovation. According to InvestingPro data, Visa maintains an impressive gross profit margin of 97.78% and generated revenue of $41.4 billion over the last twelve months.
The Visa Business-to-AI Report, conducted with Morning Consult between January 29 and February 6, 2026, surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults and 512 business decision-makers. The survey found that 77% of businesses are already using or piloting AI in their operations, while 71% said they would optimize products and offers specifically for AI agents.
Nearly 40% of Americans reported making a purchase they normally would not have considered after using an AI agent or tool. Among consumers, 58% said they are comfortable with AI comparing prices, and 55% are comfortable with AI applying discounts. However, only 38% are comfortable with AI completing a purchase.
The survey revealed significant hesitation around autonomous spending, with 60% of respondents saying they would not allow AI to spend any amount without approval. Only 27% are comfortable allowing AI to spend money autonomously without limits.
Trust in AI systems varies by provider. The survey found 36% of respondents trust bank-backed AI systems, 35% trust payment network-enabled AI, and 28% trust independent AI agents.
Generational differences emerged in the data. Among Gen Z respondents, 48% said they trust payment network-enabled AI systems, compared to 20% of Baby Boomers.
"Commerce is moving from market-to-human to market-to-machine," said Frank Cooper III, Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. "B2AI describes what happens next as AI agents begin evaluating, negotiating and transacting on behalf of people."
The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points for general population respondents and plus or minus 4 percentage points for business decision-makers.
In other recent news, Visa Inc. has launched six AI-powered dispute resolution tools aimed at reducing costs associated with payment disputes for merchants and financial institutions. The company processed 106 million disputes globally in 2025, marking a 35% increase since 2019. Additionally, Visa introduced the Enhanced Subscription Manager, a tool that allows banking customers to manage recurring payments through their bank’s mobile application. This service will be available to North American issuers in summer 2026, with plans to expand to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Loop Capital has initiated coverage on Visa with a Buy rating, setting a price target of $387.00. The firm noted that Visa’s earnings per share growth has exceeded expectations, despite concerns about a slowdown in revenue growth and competition. Morgan Stanley reported that Visa’s revenue exposure to Middle East travel is limited, with the region accounting for only 1-2% of the company’s total revenue. Meanwhile, RS2 Financial Services, a subsidiary of RS2 p.l.c., launched its first consumer payment product, the Visa IceTigers Deferred Debit Card and Mobile App. This launch follows RS2’s recent admission as a principal issuing member of Visa and Mastercard in Europe.
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