Is Your Next Client a Bot?

Move over chatbots—AI is now shopping with your clients’ credit cards. Visa and Mastercard have unveiled new platforms that let artificial intelligence not just suggest travel options but actually _book them_—raising serious questions (and opportunities) for travel agents.

Visa’s new Intelligent Commerce platform allows AI agents to search for, select, and pay for products—including flights, hotels and travel experiences—using a user’s preferences and secure credentials. These AI tools, powered by the likes of OpenAI, Anthropic and Microsoft, are being plugged directly into Visa’s global payments network, effectively allowing bots to act as digital personal assistants with a credit card.

Mastercard is doing something similar with its Agent Pay initiative, giving AI agents the power to handle bookings and payments using “Agentic Tokens” designed to keep transactions secure. The company says AI could soon be curating outfits, planning events, and booking trips—based entirely on user data and ongoing feedback.

So what does this mean for travel advisors?

On one hand, agentic AI could automate parts of the booking process, especially for frequent flyers or corporate travellers who rely on speed and convenience. On the other, it opens up fresh possibilities for human agents to work with AI—offering value-added expertise that goes far beyond what an algorithm can deliver.

For instance, while AI might book a hotel, it won't know your client's aversion to connecting flights or that they hate noisy resorts. It won’t stay on the line to resolve a booking gone wrong, or follow up with a hand-written thank-you note and a loyalty incentive.

In short, AI might be able to book the trip—but it can't replace the service, empathy and deep personal knowledge that travel agents bring to the table.

Still, with Visa and Mastercard now empowering bots to become buyers, it’s clear that travel consultants will need to stay on top of these developments. As AI begins to reshape how consumers plan and pay for trips, agents who understand and embrace the technology will be better positioned to stay relevant—and even find ways to harness these new tools to enhance their own offering.