AI Agents That Shop for You? Nekuda Is Building the Future of Payments | Ayal Karmi, CEO @ Nekuda

Can your AI assistant really shop for you? What happens when the “Buy Now” button isn’t clicked by a person? In this episode, Nekuda CEO Ayal Karmi explains how his company is rethinking payments for a world where autonomous agents act on our behalf.

We talk about:
• The lightbulb moment from a failed pizza-ordering agent
• Why authorization (not just authentication) is the future
• Real-world agent examples: fashion stylists, car modders
• Competing (and not competing) with Stripe & PayPal
• Raising a seed round led by Madrona, with Visa & Amex on board

🔗 Visit Nekuda: https://nekuda.ai
🧠 Read their Substack: https://nekuda.substack.com

⏱️ Key Timestamps:

• 00:35 – Ayal’s background in payments, AI, and crypto
• 02:30 – The failed pizza-ordering agent that sparked Nekuda
• 05:00 – The shift from AI-enhanced search to full agentic checkout
• 08:10 – Early product pivots and the importance of intent in transactions
• 12:00 – Who actually uses Nekuda’s tech: agent builders
• 18:30 – Real-world agentic use cases: stylists, mechanics, and more
• 21:00 – How their Substack brought in Visa & Amex as investors
• 26:00 – Competing with incumbents like Stripe & PayPal
• 34:45 – Will websites even exist in 2030?

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