Walmart Pulls Back on In-Chat Checkout
Walmart's Instant Checkout within ChatGPT is underperforming. Conversion rates are roughly 3x lower compared to standard e-commerce flows. The chatbot interface restricts users to single-item purchases instead of typical cart behavior.
Strategic shift: Walmart is transitioning toward "Sparky" AI, embedded across ChatGPT and Gemini, shifting from direct checkout toward cart synchronization and assistive features. Wired has more context on why the deal is being reworked.
Stripe Launches Machine Payments Protocol
Stripe and Tempo introduced the Machine Payments Protocol (MPP) on March 18, 2026. It enables autonomous AI agents to execute payments without human intervention. MPP supports cards, stablecoins, and crypto rails like Lightning Network.
MPP went live with actual transactions at launch. Current payment infrastructure requires forms, authentication, and manual steps that agents cannot navigate. MPP introduces machine-native payment processing via the HTTP 402 standard.
Shoplazza Adopts Agentic Commerce Architecture
Shoplazza is rebuilding its platform around agentic commerce architecture. The integrated system covers storefronts, payments, marketing, and operations within a unified AI layer. Shoplazza serves over 650,000 merchants across 180+ countries.
Rezolve + Microsoft Push Agentic Commerce
Rezolve AI and Microsoft are presenting at the 38th annual Roth Conference on AI-driven retail, conversion optimization, and agentic commerce adoption.
They are also showcasing an end-to-end agentic commerce platform demo at Shoptalk, covering discovery through engagement to checkout.
Adyen Releases Agentic Commerce Whitepaper
Adyen released a whitepaper stating that agentic commerce faces significant infrastructure challenges. Current systems lack foundational support for autonomous agent transactions.
Critical missing layers include control mechanisms, authorization frameworks, and trust verification. Merchants risk losing transaction visibility when agents transact independently.
