AI Agents Disrupt E-Commerce Amid Rising Fraud Concerns

Sophie Shulman with Michael Reitblat and Chris North at Mind the Tech London 2025 (Shalev Shalem)

The next big revolution in e-commerce is being driven by AI agents, which industry leaders believe will reshape the sector. At the Mind the Tech London 2025 conference, organized by Calcalist and Bank Leumi, Chris North (Managing Partner at L Catterton) and Michael Reitblat (CEO and co-founder of Forter) shared insights on the opportunities and threats posed by AI-powered commerce.

Investment in Fraud Prevention

Chris North explained L Catterton’s investment in Forter, highlighting its leadership in online fraud prevention:

"Forter is a great example of a company building a strong system of trust. In a world where impersonation is rampant, Forter’s proven track record is invaluable."

AI-Driven Fraud Threats

Michael Reitblat warned of increasing AI-powered fraud attacks, noting an 89% surge in recent months:

"AI agents are already simulating purchases—like booking flights or fast food deliveries—but their success rates remain low when anonymity is stripped."

Interestingly, fast food delivery saw 4x higher fraud success rates than other sectors.

The Future of AI in Commerce

Looking ahead, North predicted massive disruption:

"Only 3% of commerce is AI-touched today. Amazon dominates, but AI agents could break its closed ecosystem by optimizing external search."

Reitblat added that innovation speed will dictate winners:

"Most AI agents switched from Perplexity to OpenAI within months. The best product always wins."

Infrastructure vs. Brands

When asked about investment preferences, North emphasized brand potential, while Reitblat confirmed Forter’s infrastructure is AI-ready:

"Fake AI-generated bank credentials fail because only systems scaled to billions of users understand agent behavior."

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