PYMNTS.com January 21, 2026
The technical progress in artificial intelligence (AI) is real. The consumer readiness, particularly for autonomous and agentic solutions, is far less uniform.
In theory, the appeal of autonomous AI agents is obvious. An AI agent that monitors your finances, shops for better insurance rates, refills household essentials, manages subscriptions, or books travel based on your preferences promises a future of reduced friction and reclaimed time.
In practice, findings in the January 2026 edition of the “Agentic AI Report” from PYMNTS Intelligence reveal that consumer enthusiasm for this future is divided. Some users are eager to hand over the reins. Others remain deeply cautious, even resistant.
The report found that this divergence reflects a more fundamental truth about autonomy, trust and...
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