Trulioo Proposes Digital Agent Passport to Secure AI-Driven Commerce

Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how consumers shop, enabling software agents to complete purchases in milliseconds. However, merchants remain cautious due to the lack of transparency and auditability in these workflows. PYMNTS Intelligence reports that while nearly all enterprise-level merchants are aware of agentic AI, only 15% are considering its adoption.

The Need for Identity Verification

Trulioo CEO Vicky Bindra emphasizes that identity verification is critical for safe AI agent operations. Trulioo and PayOS have introduced a Know Your Agent (KYA) framework, akin to KYC and KYB, to vet AI-driven agents. The cornerstone of this framework is a Digital Agent Passport, a tamper-proof credential detailing the agent's provenance, user binding, permissions, and real-time behavior.

Governance and Standards

The white paper proposes Digital Passport Authorities to issue and manage these passports, similar to SSL certificate authorities. These authorities would ensure interoperability and real-time revocation. Bindra highlights three key questions:

1. Is the agent tied to a real consumer?
2. Who created the agent, and are they credible?
3. Is the agent behaving as intended?

Benefits for Merchants and Issuers

For merchants, KYA offers tighter audit trails and reduced fraud risk. For issuers, it enables seamless liability shifts. Bindra suggests that banks, with their existing consumer trust, could lead by issuing lightweight wallets for agentic transactions.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the potential, adoption hinges on common standards. Trulioo advocates for a federated directory of "white-list agents" to build trust. Bindra predicts rapid adoption, especially in sectors like travel and replenishable goods, where AI agents can bridge the gap between intent and purchase.

The Future of Agentic Commerce

Bindra envisions KYA scores functioning like credit scores for software, allowing merchants to set risk thresholds. The ultimate goal is to monetize the point of intent, where AI agents can complete purchases without manual intervention.

Standards and consumer confidence are still evolving, but Bindra believes the tipping point is near. Merchants who delay risk losing revenue to faster-moving competitors.