Dubai just took shopping into a new era. At the Dubai Future Forum, Mastercard and Majid Al Futtaim revealed Agent Pay, the world’s first AI-powered payment system that completes purchases using only your voice. No apps. No forms. No manual checkout. A conversational AI assistant handled an entire movie-ticket purchase from start to finish.
During the live demo, the AI agent picked the movie, compared showtimes, found the best seats, chose the closest cinema, and processed the payment instantly. Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for AI, and Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach watched the transaction happen seamlessly, marking a major shift toward agentic commerce.
The launch also highlighted Dubai’s unique approach to innovation. Al Olama said the country’s instinct isn’t to ask why new ideas should exist, but why not. That mindset has allowed the UAE to pilot technologies that many countries only talk about.
Security remains a top priority. Mastercard stressed that strong safeguards are built into the system to prevent misuse. Trust, Miebach noted, is as important as convenience when it comes to payments powered by AI.
He also pointed out what this means for the workforce of tomorrow. As AI handles more routine tasks, he encouraged young professionals to focus on skills that can’t be automated — critical thinking, creativity, and fields that require real human judgement.
Agent Pay is more than a cool demo. It’s a glimpse into a future where your personal AI handles everyday transactions for you, and Dubai is once again the place where that future shows up first.