AI Agents That Shop for You? Nekuda Is Building the Future of Payments | Ayal Karmi, CEO @ Nekuda

Can your AI assistant really shop for you? What happens when the “Buy Now” button isn’t clicked by a person? In this episode, Nekuda CEO Ayal Karmi explains how his company is rethinking payments for a world where autonomous agents act on our behalf.We talk about:• The lightbulb moment from a failed pizza-ordering agent• Why authorization (not just authentication) is the future• Real-world agent examples: fashion stylists, car modders• Competing (and not competing) with Stripe & PayPal• Raising a seed round led by Madrona, with Visa & Amex on board🔗 Visit Nekuda: https://nekuda.ai🧠 Read their Substack: https://nekuda.substack.com⏱️ Key Timestamps:00:35 – Ayal’s background in payments, AI, and crypto02:30 – The failed pizza-ordering agent that sparked Nekuda05:00 – The shift from AI-enhanced search to full agentic checkout08:10 – Early product pivots and the importance of intent in transactions12:00 – Who actually uses Nekuda’s tech: agent builders18:30 – Real-world agentic use cases: stylists, mechanics, and more21:00 – How their Substack brought in Visa & Amex as investors26:00 – Competing with incumbents like Stripe & PayPal34:45 – Will websites even exist in 2030?📰 Subscribe to the free Substack: retailgentic.ai📺 Watch episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/@retailgentic🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts: Spotify, Apple, etc.