Alipay has unveiled an AI Open Platform and outlined a three‑phase roadmap—building AI payment infrastructure, launching an AI‑centric app version, and opening the ecosystem to merchants—to aggregate fragmented transaction scenarios, cut development costs, and compete with rivals like WeChat Pay.
The article walks through the author’s hands‑on experience with WeChat Pay’s new AI‑dedicated virtual card, detailing its isolated balance, per‑transaction confirmation, and how a single card can be shared across multiple AI agents, while comparing alternative multi‑card models and discussing security implications and future directions.
The article examines the emerging AI payment landscape, detailing how agents must be qualified, authorized, and governed through protocols like Stripe's ACP, Visa's TAP, and Mastercard's AgentPay, while outlining six key authorization boundaries, associated risks, and the need for clear responsibility chains.
