Black Friday: AI agents remain limited by secure payments
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL
Illustrative image · Ivan S · Pexels · Licence PexelsAccording to IOL, artificial intelligence agents can compare prices for South African buyers, but cannot pay on their own. Local banking rules require multi-factor authentication on almost all online payments.
Artificial intelligence agents, autonomous software capable of making decisions and carrying out purchases on the user’s behalf, cannot get past payment checks on their own in South Africa, according to Michael Sherman, technology columnist at IOL.
Local banking regulations require multi-factor authentication, through 3D Secure, validation in the banking app or an SMS code, on almost all online card payments. An agent cannot bypass these checks without the user’s explicit authorisation. In the event of an erroneous, overcharged or duplicate order, the consumer has practically no recourse to obtain a refund, the columnist says.
The retailer Takealot also uses bot-detection tools. An agent caught placing an order would immediately trigger the flagging and suspension of the buyer’s account. According to IOL, the safest strategy is to let AI compare prices and collect offers, while keeping final payment validation in the buyer’s hands.
