Agent of change: how AI is shaping the next era

Three years after ChatGPT’s public debut, generative AI has become a trusted companion for everything from holiday planning, grocery shopping, content creation and even personal finance management. Its integration into everyday life reflects a profound shift in how people interact with technology, moving from traditional search engines and manual research to AI-driven, personalised guidance.  

Businesses are embracing the technology at an unprecedented pace. According to McKinsey’s State of AI in 2025, 88% of organisations now use AI for at least one business function – up from just 55% in 2023. Consumer behaviour is shifting just as quickly: nearly 60% of consumers now use generative AI tools instead of traditional search engines for product recommendations, according to Capgemini (2024). 

To capture and compare this acceleration, the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) has developed the MEI AI Enthusiasm Index, which tracks countries’ share of global AI spending, AI’s share of total software spending, and per-capita investment in AI tools.  

In Europe, Denmark tops the index, where growth is driven by corporate adoption. Eurostat data also show that 27.6% of Danish enterprises used at least one AI technology in 2024, which is double the EU average. These findings come from the MEI Economic Outlook 2026 report, which highlights deeper AI integration and targeted fiscal stimulus as key drivers of future global growth. 

AI is leaving a profound mark on the financial world, transforming how institutions operate, how consumers manage money, and how transactions are executed. Here are some of the key ways that AI is reshaping the financial realm today. 

AI agents that shop for you 

AI is starting to do more than analyse information; it’s now beginning to act on behalf of users. These systems, known as agentic AI, can break down tasks and complete them automatically from start to finish. For example, an AI agent can plan and book a family holiday to Italy by comparing accommodation, transport and activities across platforms, factoring in schedules, costs and preferences; and remembering those choices for next time. 

Agentic commerce marks a fundamental shift in how people shop. Instead of static searches and checkouts, AI agents make the process more fluid and secure, handling payments smoothly while keeping customers in control. While this will save valuable time, as more tasks are handed over to AI, trust and accountability are critical, and we must continue to work to ensure clear guardrails are in place to prevent errors, fraud or unintended commitments. 

Agentic commerce is expected to expand further in 2026 – globally and in Europe – driven by multi-agent systems working together to accomplish a single task.   

AI and small business owners 

AI can be a game-changer for small businesses, helping to automate routine tasks, unlock insights, and compete more effectively in a digital-first economy. There are clear practical benefits to using the technology, with 39% of founders who use AI reporting significant cost or time savings, particularly in Nordic countries and Greece. 

Use of AI is steadily gaining ground among small and medium-sized businesses, though adoption remains uneven. Recent research shows that around 39% of European SME founders now use AI regularly in their business, with uptake highest in Norway (62%), Denmark (56%), and Greece (52%). Younger entrepreneurs are leading the shift: 58% of Gen Z founders use AI regularly, compared with around 40% of older generations. 

While over half of founders recognise AI’s potential, many have yet to put it into practice. This highlights the importance of building digital confidence among all founders – using the right tools is no longer optional; it’s essential for scaling smarter and faster. 

Among those who are already using AI, it is increasingly used as a decision-making tool, with nearly four in ten consulting it when unsure of the best course of action, rising to more than half among Gen Z founders. Conversational AI has helped drive adoption, making the technology more accessible and intuitive, with 40% of founders saying they engage with AI more frequently because of its conversational capabilities.  

Staying ahead of cyberthreats 

As AI tools become more powerful, an inevitable question follows: if businesses can use them, so can hackers and scammers. For companies built on e-commerce and digital payments, the consequences of a single cyber incident can be severe, ranging from reputational damage to the permanent loss of customer trust. 

AI is also, unfortunately, making cybercriminals more effective. AI-powered tools let them quickly and easily create convincing phishing emails, texts and social media posts as well as both audio and video deepfakes. In a poll of 5,000 European consumers, AI-generated fake content was cited as the biggest scam concern for the future, but only 8% of respondents feel very confident in their ability to identify AI-generated threats or scams if they are targeted by them.    

In parallel, cybersecurity firms are pushing ahead with their own AI-driven defences, building smarter tools and making them easier and more affordable for businesses to adopt. However, technological solutions alone are insufficient. Protecting businesses and consumers isn’t just about deploying AI-powered defences—it requires human expertise to provide context, continuous monitoring to spot emerging risks, and adaptive strategies that evolve alongside the threats. 

Embracing the next era 

With AI adoption accelerating among organisations and consumers alike, the way we work, shop, and make decisions will continue to be reshaped in years to come.  

From agentic AI that can autonomously complete purchases, to small businesses using AI to save time, cut costs, and support decision-making, the technology is driving productivity and growth, particularly among younger entrepreneurs. At the same time, the rise of AI magnifies the scale and sophistication of cyberthreats, making trust, strong safeguards, and human oversight essential as AI becomes more embedded in today’s world.   

With the right safeguards in place, the next era of AI brings immense opportunities for both consumers and businesses to explore new avenues for growth, have the tools to reach their full potential, and ultimately, to prosper.