AI, Optimization, and the End of Business-as-Usual in Payments

Payments are no longer just the plumbing of commerce; they’ve become a battleground. In a fragmented, choice-driven economy, the payment experience can determine whether a business captures revenue or loses a customer. Every second of friction, failed authorization, or missing payment method carries real financial consequences. At the same time, AI is beginning to automate real-time payment decisions, while the rise of agentic commerce, where software agents initiate and complete transactions on behalf of consumers, is introducing new dynamics in how payments are routed, authenticated, and secured. In this panel, Gr4vy joins Dave, a retired Special Agent from the IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) division, to explore the evolving intersection of payments, AI, agentic commerce, fraud, and financial crime. With decades of experience investigating complex financial networks, Dave brings a rare law-enforcement perspective to a conversation often dominated by technology and growth strategies. Together, they will discuss how evolving payment infrastructure, digital wallets, alternative rails, and AI-driven decisioning are reshaping both opportunity and risk for merchants — and why businesses must rethink payment systems not only for performance and growth, but also for resilience, automation, and security. Key Takeaways: The cost of payment friction in a polarized market - Why infrastructure matters: orchestration vs. aggregation The growing role of machine learning and real-time signals in payment decisions How to align business goals with payment architecture for long-term success

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