While you might already use AI to do research or help with your job, it will likely start having a bigger impact on your finances, as well. For example, an April 2025 Visa press release announced that the company was working with several major players in AI to create agents that you can ask to shop online and pay for items with your credit card.
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While this feature can save you time, financial expert George Kamel believes there are four risks involved with letting AI spend your money. In a recent YouTube video, he explained how the technology could derail your finances, and discussed ways to use it more responsibly.
Frictionless Spending
When using an AI shopping agent, you skip the usual steps of filling in your shipping and payment details for each purchase. While this is convenient, Kamel said it also makes overspending easier. He explained, “They want you to spend your money so fast and so easily that you barely even realize it happened.”
If you had completed the purchase yourself, going through those steps likely would’ve made you more carefully consider what you were buying, or at least be more aware of your spending. By letting AI handle it all, you might make more impulse purchases or run up debt.
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Less Connection to Your Money
According to Chase, simply using a credit card versus physical cash makes spending your money feel less painful, which makes it harder to stick to your budget and avoid debt. But when you also involve an AI agent, having control over your finances becomes even harder.
Kamel explained, “When you’re not the one swiping the card or clicking the checkout button, you lose any kind of connection to your money, emotional or otherwise.” He said that you might feel less responsible for what happens to your money than if you had taken intentional steps to reach your money goals.
Derailed Money Goals
When you spend money, you should consider how it will affect your goals, such as saving for retirement or eliminating debt. The risks of frictionless spending and less connection already make using AI agents seem less wise if you’re trying to spend less or save more.
Kamel explained that he had doubts about AI agents taking your financial goals into account. His reasoning was that the companies offering these services would focus on convenience and profit, adding, “And that’s going to cost you big time when it comes to winning with money long term.”
Data Privacy Concerns
An April 2025 Pew Research study found that 21% of Americans worried about being scammed out of their money online, and 48% had already experienced online credit or debit card fraud.
While AI agents often highlight how they’re safe, you’ll still need to feel comfortable providing them with access to your financial data and login credentials. Kamel explained that giving full access can increase the risk of fraud, whether a hacker buys things with your account or a software glitch leads to the AI making extra purchases.
Plus, there’s the risk that you’ll see more personalized ads online once the AI agent learns what you like to buy.
Smart Tips for Using AI Shopping Agents
Kamel isn’t against AI shopping agents as long as you take steps to protect your finances.
First, he said you should consider how using these tools changes how you shop, and stick with using AI for learning about and comparing products rather than making the actual purchase. He also encouraged having a monthly budget and not letting the AI make your money decisions.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: George Kamel: 4 Major Dangers of Letting AI Spend Your Money
