Visa is testing AI helpers that pay business invoices for you

Visa said on October 21 that it is testing AI helpers that pay approved business invoices. The pilots run with BILL, a billing platform, and Billtrust, an accounts receivable platform. Visa announced the news in San Francisco, along with two other business payment tools.

What changed

In the pilots, trusted AI agents start and carry out payments for approved invoices through supplier portals. They use tokenized payment credentials, which means a stand-in code is used instead of the real card details. They do not need a shared portal login, which is a common weak spot when many people use one password.

SESA 2.0 uses AI and Visa payment data to find suppliers likely to accept commercial cards. Visa says the earlier SESA has helped banks spot over $600 billion in potential card-eligible spending. Visa Commercial Fraud Solutions adds supplier verification, 3-D Secure checks for virtual card users, and limits on spending, merchant types, locations and timing.

What is not known yet

Payment controls are already available to eligible card issuers, meaning the banks that issue the cards, in supported countries and regions. The other two features are in pilot, with full rollout planned by 2027. The material does not say what any of this will cost, which businesses can join, or how companies will approve what an AI agent does. Business owners who want to try it can start by asking their bank or billing provider.