As personal AI agents aimed at individual users spread, website operators are increasingly debating whether to allow them access. For now, more companies in sectors ranging from finance to consumer services are moving to block outside AI agents. Major U.S. banks have imposed restrictions, citing security concerns and the risk of deposit outflows. Some review, travel and e-commerce firms are also limiting agent activity, while others open access and accelerate development of their own agents.

Terry Angelos, a Visa fintech and crypto senior vice president and former DriveWealth CEO, wrote that helping an AI agent pay is different from letting it transact on a user’s behalf. He said agents are evolving from providing answers to completing tasks, making payment authority a key issue. He warned that wallet and virtual-card setups can break relationships and card benefits, and argued agents need payment policies and clear liability. He pointed to card-network standards using agent tokens as a solution.