Qualcomm Wants You to Let AI Agents Spend Your Money
Someday, AI agents will buy you anything you want — or what they think you want. Here’s how the chipmaker for top Android phones thinks that may work.
During the Snapdragon Summit 2026 in Maui, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon unveiled plans for AI agents to assist with purchasing decisions on smartphones. Amon suggested that these AI agents would gain access to bank accounts or credit cards to buy necessities, gifts, and travel. To address concerns about the security of such transactions, Qualcomm's technology focuses on protecting personal information and creating a secure device environment.
The AI agents would repeatedly check in before spending money, requiring authentication and maintaining user control. Qualcomm presented a demo featuring a woman in smart glasses who had the AI agent suggest purchases based on her past behavior. The agent would ask for confirmation before completing a purchase, even for expensive items.
The process would include several stages: identifying a purchase, receiving a relevant suggestion, and completing the transaction through a trusted payment provider like Mastercard. MasterCard CEO Michael Miebach and a senior fellow emphasized that consumers would only trust processes that ensure their payments and data remain secure.
Qualcomm's senior vice president and general manager of handsets, Chris Patrick, emphasized that building consumer trust in this process would take time, but they planned to provide reassurance through financial institution involvement.
Written by urgent.news from CNET's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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