tech
AI "agents" can do your shopping. Should you let them?
April 17, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- AI agents are being developed to handle tasks like managing email and making purchases based on user preferences.
- Experts caution that relying on AI agents for key decisions, especially purchases, poses risks like communication errors, financial loss, and data security vulnerabilities.
- Companies such as American Express, Amazon, and Walmart are investing in AI commerce, with Amex offering new protections for cardholders using AI agents.
- A significant portion of young adults (18-39) have already experimented with AI for product research and shopping.
- Mishaps have occurred, such as an AI agent securing an unaffordable speaking engagement for $30,000.
- Users can provide conflicting instructions to AI agents, leading to unintended consequences.
- Concerns exist that bad actors could trick AI agents into revealing personal information or making fraudulent purchases.