Since October 9, 2026, Shopify has shared compare-at prices with AI shopping agents through Shopify Catalog. Shopify's changelog says agents reading the catalog previously saw only the current price, so a markdown that was obvious on your storefront never reached the assistant recommending the product. With compare-at prices included, an assistant can present a discounted product to the shopper as a discount.
You control this in Shopify admin, in the Compare-at section of the Shopify Catalog mapping page. A compare-at price is a claim, and an assistant will repeat it to a shopper as fact. Before holiday promotions start, look through the products you have on sale and confirm that each compare-at price is one the product really sold at.
On October 6, 2026, American Express released its Amex Business Playbook for Agentic Commerce. According to Yahoo Finance's report, it proposes Agent Purchase Protection, which would cover eligible Card Members and merchants when a registered AI agent makes a charge in error, and it sets up a pilot Merchant AI Advisory Council. The protection is an announced intent for now. Amex has yet to publish its terms or say how an agent becomes registered. The report cites a figure that explains why a card network would make the offer: 93% of merchants believe AI providers should pay for an agent's mistakes.
A week later, on October 13, 2026, American Express published its Intent Intelligence framework. Digital Commerce 360 reports that the framework describes how to record a shopper's purchase instructions before an AI agent transacts. Card issuers can use those records to detect fraud, approve payments, and resolve disputes. For a retailer, the framework could help determine whether an ordering mistake originated with an AI agent. Amex confirmed the framework has no live integrations yet. The company said publishing it is intended to let other payment and technology providers adopt its approach.
The same day, JPMorgan Chase drew a harder line. CEO Jamie Dimon told analysts the bank will not allow outside AI agents to access customer accounts and operate on their behalf, CNBC reported. Dimon cited the risk of rogue agents at scale, saying there could be thousands of them. He said customers using outside agents must understand the risks and potential transfer of responsibility. A JPMorgan spokeswoman confirmed the bank currently blocks external AI agents from operating on behalf of retail customers. Agents can read some data, like balances, through open banking providers, but they cannot send money or pay a bill.
The two positions point to different answers for how an AI-assisted purchase clears. Amex wants to record what a shopper authorized before an agent buys. JPMorgan wants to keep outside agents out of customer accounts entirely. For a brand, the practical question is which of the payment methods your customers use will work when an assistant buys on their behalf, and the answer now depends on the bank and the card network behind each one.
Another development concerns which agents reach a store at all. A Bernstein analysis reported by Investing.com on October 10, 2026 notes that Amazon blocked Meta's Muse shopping assistant within two weeks of its launch, while Shopify, Walmart, Best Buy, Gap, Sephora and six other companies partnered with it for shopping and checkout. Bernstein expects companies to grant access selectively, one agent at a time. Cloudflare's figure in the same analysis shows the volume behind that choice. AI agent requests on its network rose more than 1,700% in a year.
Taken together, these are decisions that used to be made for you by default. Which prices an assistant sees is now a setting. Who pays for an agent's mistake has a first proposal from a card network. Which agents may read your catalog or check out is a choice other large sellers are making agent by agent. Whether an assistant can actually complete a purchase depends on the payment rails and account access behind it. Start with the one that is live. The compare-at setting takes a few minutes to review, and it shapes how every assistant reading Shopify Catalog describes your sale prices.
Common questions
How do I control whether AI agents see my compare-at prices?
Shopify's changelog points to the Compare-at section of the Shopify Catalog mapping page in Shopify admin. Review the setting there, and check that the compare-at prices on your discounted products are accurate.
Is Agent Purchase Protection available now?
American Express announced it on October 6, 2026 as a proposal inside its Amex Business Playbook for Agentic Commerce. Terms and the process for registering an agent are not yet published.
What does the Amex Intent Intelligence framework do?
Published on October 13, 2026, it describes how to record a shopper's purchase instructions before an AI agent buys. Amex confirmed it has no live integrations yet and is meant for other providers to adopt.
Can an AI agent access a Chase account to make a purchase?
JPMorgan Chase blocks external AI agents from operating on behalf of retail customers. Agents can read some data through open banking providers, but they cannot send money or pay a bill.
Sources
Shopify Changelog: Compare-at prices now shared to agentic channels
Yahoo Finance: American Express is telling merchants how to prepare for agent shopping
Investing.com via Yahoo Finance: Consumer AI agents could upend online shopping
American Express launches Intent Intelligence framework for AI shopping agents
JPMorgan blocks outside AI agents like Muse, Instinct from account access