AppZen introduces AI payment monitoring system

AppZen has launched Autonomous Cards, a new technology designed for corporate card programs. The technology, set to become generally available on October 26, links to a company’s existing payment cards and applies AI agents to monitor transactions.

The AI agents can automate functions such as detecting suspicious activity, checking transactions against company policy, and reconciling statements. According to AppZen, the technology can perform functions related to transactions while filling in context, including adding details and purpose around the transaction for later reference.

Anant Kale, AppZen’s chief executive and cofounder, says the technology continuously monitors spend, understands what was purchased, and intervenes when necessary. “Our agents continuously monitor spend, understand what was purchased, intervene when necessary, help employees and other transaction owners complete what is needed, and carry each transaction through policy, accounting, and resolution,” Kale says.

The technology aims at various types of cards, including purchasing cards, ghost cards, virtual cards, and fleet cards, considering transaction type and business context. A key element of the technology is controlling risk as new cards are added to corporate programs, with human review only necessary for exceptions that require approval or judgment.

Autonomous Cards is designed to make finance teams autonomous while keeping people in control of decisions that require judgment, says Kale. Meanwhile, Mastercard is expanding its Agent Pay technology to offer more context around transactions initiated by AI, aiming to increase trust in agentic commerce.

Mastercard predicts that 10% of online shoppers will be using the technology routinely within four years, with over 300 million online shoppers adopting it by 2030. The company’s report, “A Short History of the Future of Shopping and Payments,” was based on surveys of 13,000 parent-and-teen pairs in 13 European countries.