{
  "id": 9098667,
  "title": "The next big question for AI agents is how they'll make money, Goldman says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/the-next-big-question-for-ai-agents-is-how-theyll-make-money-goldman",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-22T06:20:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-muse-ai-agent-how-ai-agents-make-money-goldman-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "AI agents, once primarily conversation-focused assistants, are now taking on real-world tasks, such as online shopping and travel booking. Dominik Butzmann/Photothek/Getty Images, a Goldman Sachs representative states that the next significant challenge for these agents is generating revenue. The bank anticipates AI agents can generate profits through advertisements and premium subscriptions. AI agents are evolving from answering questions to performing actual tasks. They have rapidly become a top priority in Silicon Valley. The issue now is determining how these agents will generate income. Meta's recent launch of Muse has intensified the focus on this emerging technology, which allows users to shop online, book travel, and complete tasks on their behalf. Goldman Sachs describes the technology as undergoing a fundamental transformation. According to Eric Sheridan, a business unit leader at Goldman Sachs Research, we are witnessing a paradigm shift from a conversational relationship with these agents to a more action-oriented relationship. To create a sustainable business model, companies developing AI agents must figure out how to monetize their capabilities. Sheridan suggests the mass market for AI agents will be monetized through advertising and subscriptions, similar to today's web model. He added that AI agents would likely provide premium, ad-free subscriptions alongside free, ad-supported versions. AI and machine learning could enhance digital advertising efficiency by automating ad creation, placement, and measurement. This business model will depend on consumers trusting AI agents with sensitive data like calendars, passwords, and payment credentials. Sheridan believes broader access will enable the software to execute more complex tasks on behalf of users. This shift marks AI's transition from the infrastructure layer to the platform layer, according to Sheridan. The emergence of consumer-facing, action-oriented agentic commerce signifies the platform layer's arrival, he adds. The emphasis on AI agents has surged in recent weeks due to Meta's AI agent, Muse, topping Apple's US App Store free app rankings following its release. This development is part of a growing wave of AI agents from OpenAI, Anthropic, and others capable of browsing the web and completing tasks on users' behalf. This trend has also occurred outside the US. OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework developed by an Austrian developer, became a viral sensation among developers and gained popularity in China, where businesses and developers adopted the framework to build AI agents.",
  "summary": "AI agents are Silicon Valley's latest obsession, and Goldman Sachs says ads and subscriptions could become their biggest business model.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}