American Express Launches Intent Intelligence Framework to Verify AI Agent Purchases
Amex’s system captures and authenticates constraints such as merchant, budget and product preferences before an AI agent buys, then issues an Intent ID and Proof of Intent Token for a secure payment credential. It extends the ACE Developer Toolkit, launched in April 2026.
American Express announced in October 2026 a new framework designed to ensure AI agents only complete purchases that customers have explicitly authorized. Called the “Intent Intelligence Framework,” Amex says it hopes the system will become an industry standard for AI-powered transactions.
The framework works by capturing a customer’s purchase instructions before an AI agent completes a transaction. A Create Intent API records the customer’s constraints — such as merchant name, maximum budget, and product preferences — which the customer then authenticates and approves. From that approval, the system generates an Intent ID and a Proof of Intent Token, which is used to obtain a secure digital payment credential. The agent uses this credential at checkout instead of the customer’s actual credit card number, keeping the transaction both secure and aligned with what the customer authorized.
Hannah Bozian, Amex’s VP of Agentic Partnerships and Strategy, told TechCrunch the framework pulls intent earlier into the transaction flow than competing approaches, which she said helps mitigate risk before it occurs. She offered the example of a customer asking an agent to buy white Nike sneakers in a size 9, but the agent attempting to purchase Adidas shoes instead — a transaction Amex could block because it falls outside the stated intent.
The Intent Intelligence Framework is part of Amex’s broader ACE Developer Toolkit, which the company launched in April 2026. Amex said it has not yet seen a rise in disputes tied to agentic commerce but wanted to build the technology proactively as the space scales. The Intent ID and token can also support fraud prevention and dispute resolution across the transaction lifecycle.
Consumer interest in agentic commerce appears to be growing. According to an Amex Trendex report cited by the company, 66% of surveyed U.S. consumers said they are likely to use AI agents to research pricing, and 61% said they would use agents for product recommendations within the next 12 months.
Bozian discussed the framework at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on October 13. Amex said it is in active discussions with payments ecosystem partners and plans to continue developing ACE as agentic commerce evolves.