AI assistants could begin making purchases on behalf of users within preapproved budgets as early as 2027, according to Binur Zhalenov, a deputy governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan. The regulator is already working on the infrastructure needed to support such payments.
In a post on social media, Zhalenov predicted that AI agents would soon help people in Kazakhstan pay bills, buy household essentials, renew service subscriptions and book business trips.
«Book a ticket to Almaty for Friday. After 6 p.m., with luggage, for no more than 60,000 tenge.» Zhalenov said he expected such instructions to become commonplace in 2027. An AI assistant would compare available options, check the terms and complete the purchase within the specified budget. He described this as an example of agentic payments.
AI payments could simplify corporate spending
According to Zhalenov, AI-powered payments could be particularly useful for companies that already operate under established budgets and approval procedures. Automating routine purchases would free up employees’ time.
Read also: Should you trust an AI assistant to manage your money?
For everyday purchases, however, AI will often serve only as a recommendation tool, with users making the final decision. Zhalenov said autonomous payments would be more likely in cases where the price, terms and acceptable options had been agreed on in advance.
The question of which transactions people would be willing to delegate to AI agents would also need to be addressed. For example, asking an assistant to find a good hotel does not necessarily mean authorizing it to pay for any option it selects. Such transactions would require spending limits and a way to revoke authorization.
AI agents could make payments using conventional bank accounts and cards, as well as stablecoins, Zhalenov said.
National Bank working on payment infrastructure
Zhalenov said Kazakhstan was approaching the next stage in the development of its payment infrastructure. Fast payments and Open Banking already provide a foundation, but an additional arrangement is needed to allow people to safely delegate transactions to AI assistants, regardless of which bank they use.
