ChatGPT operator OpenAI is to integrate payments into a checkout system embedded in its ChatGPT AI platform, changing the face of ecommerce as we know it, initiating the inception of Agentic Commerce – and potentially having a massive impact on mVAS.
Earlier this year ChatGPT and ecommerce platform Shopify partnered to upgrade the shopping element of ChatGPT, allowing it to display prices and reviews of goods that ChatGPT recommended to searchers, as well as then feeding them off to the relevant site to buy stuff. Now, with this latest development, shoppers will be able to complete their transaction on the ChatGPT platform itself.
The move comes hot on heals of rival AI platform Perplexity announcing that Perplexity Pro subscribers would be able to make one-click payments directly within its AI interface, through PayPal or Venmo.
In addition, both Visa and Mastercard have rolled out agentic commerce platforms that let the AI search, evaluate and buy goods for consumers based on their prompts – an agentic AI shopping assistant that can do it all.
While this has clear privacy, security and other issues, it does mark a shift in how AI is being seen within commerce.
And it seems consumers want these services. Data from Salesforce shows that four in ten (39%) consumers are already comfortable with AI agents scheduling appointments, while a quarter (24%) are comfortable with AI agents doing their shopping – rising to nearly a third among Gen Z.
Debra Aho Williamson, Founder and chief analyst, Sonata Insights, meanwhile, says: “Soon, consumers will not even need to go to an AI platform to do what they do today. Instead, they will have an AI agent perform a task on their behalf, and the results will be delivered to them.”
What does that mean for mVAS
From an ecommerce standpoint, this is clearly a game changer: the age of agentic commerce is upon us and shoppers looking to find things to buy now have some powerful new tools at their fingertips. They can search by simply asking AI or they can get an AI shopping agent to take care of the whole process. But what does this mean for mVAS?
mVAS providers of everything from ringtones to content subscriptions to add-on insurance and even custom digital services have traditionally relied on telco portals, SMS, or apps. With agentic checkout, such services could be bundled, recommended, or sold directly in AI-centric search, chat and voice interfaces — bypassing conventional app stores or telco channels.
It also ushers in new embedded commerce opportunities. Internal APIs or integrations can let these services surface as purchase recommendations or cross-sells during relevant AI-driven conversations – such as, say, a travel insurance upsell when booking a flight via chat – with instant checkout. This will likely force VAS providers to reconsider their distribution strategy around integration with leading AI platforms, rather than only telecom or app channels.
Agentic commerce also does much to create almost totally frictionless payments and personalisation. Since agentic commerce heavily leverages zero-party and historical data, mobile VAS can be much more deeply tailored, offering device-specific services, localised content, or subscription add-ons based on precise, AI-understood user needs and context, improving conversion.
Meanwhile, frictionless, one-click payment through PayPal, stored cards, even potential DCB could reduce drop-off and boost conversion rates for impulse or recurring purchases.
What it means for telcos
If users increasingly shop and subscribe via AI interfaces on mobile, traffic to app stores and VAS portals is expected to fall. AI agents acting “on your behalf” could even automate or batch-buy multiple services, seamlessly managing renewals and cancellations.
It will also usher in ecosystem and revenue model changes. Major AI platforms such as OpenAI, Google and Perplexity and payment providers will likely take a commission on these in-AI transactions, shifting margins across the mobile VAS value chain. VAS companies will need strong partnerships and technical integration with these AI commerce hubs to maintain relevance and revenue share.
Tensions and open questions
There are, of course, a lot of tensions across the value chain – not least because so much of what might happen with Agentic Commerce and AI payments remains at the time of writing an unknow. But there are several issues that will need resolving, or at least thinking about right now before it is too late. These include:
- Security and trust: Giving AI purchase authority could raise concerns about payment security, user consent, and fraud.
- Discovery & differentiation: With AI agents mediating purchase choices, how VAS providers compete for visibility in the recommendation/AI shopping layer is critical.
- Regulatory compliance: Especially for carrier billing or subscription services, agentic flows will need to meet mobile payment and consumer protection standards.
The arrival of agentic e-commerce with embedded checkout in AI platforms will erode traditional VAS channels on mobile and create a new battleground for embedded digital services. To stay relevant, VAS providers must adapt to this AI-first distribution model, focusing on deep integrations, enhanced personalization, and frictionless payments within the AI commerce ecosystem
