Human-Present Transactions are payment flows in which a person remains directly involved when an AI shopping agent prepares and completes a purchase. The person reviews the final checkout details, authenticates through a trusted interface, and explicitly approves the payment.
This model matters because agentic commerce changes how a transaction is assembled. The agent may search, compare and prepare the cart, but the person still confirms what will be purchased and how it will be paid for. Entersekt connects this shift to a wider move toward authentication that validates intent as well as identity.
A Human-Present Transaction is an agent-assisted payment in which the user directly approves the specific checkout and payment details before execution. The user remains in the loop at the point where the transaction becomes final.
The term is used in the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), which distinguishes a direct Human Present flow from a Human Not Present flow. In the direct flow, the user approves closed mandates that describe the particular checkout and payment. In the autonomous flow, the user approves constraints in advance and an agent acts later within those limits.
A Human-Present Transaction usually follows a two-stage process: the agent assembles a checkout, then a trusted surface displays the final details for user approval.
This sequence gives each participant a defined verification role. It also creates evidence that connects the person’s approval to the particular merchant, amount, payment instrument and checkout details.
| Component | Role in the transaction |
|---|---|
| Shopping agent | Finds products, assembles the cart and coordinates the purchase. |
| Merchant | Creates the checkout and confirms that the cart matches the approved details. |
| Credential provider | Verifies the payment mandate and issues an appropriately scoped payment credential. |
| Trusted surface | Displays the transaction details and collects user authentication and consent. |
| Merchant payment processor | Checks that the payment credential is authorized for the approved checkout. |
| Mandates and receipts | Bind intent, payment and outcome into verifiable records. |
User presence matters because identity alone does not establish that a person intended to approve a particular purchase. A trusted user could still be shown the wrong merchant, amount or item if the transaction details are altered before approval.
Human-Present Transactions address this risk by making the person review the closed transaction before signing it. This is closely related to transaction confirmation, where the approval is tied to the specific action rather than only to an authenticated session. The FIDO transaction confirmation paper describes this principle as a way to link consent to transaction details and support auditability.
For financial institutions, that distinction supports clearer decisions about authentication, authorization, disputes and accountability. It also creates a more direct control point when an agent is involved in a payment journey.
| Characteristic | Human Present | Human Not Present |
|---|---|---|
| User involvement | Direct approval at checkout | Approval before autonomous execution |
| Transaction scope | Specific closed checkout | Predefined constraints |
| Signing authority | User credential or trusted agent provider | Agent key operating under user-approved authority |
| Primary control | User reviews the final details | Verifiers assess whether the transaction fits the approved limits |
| Typical use | Assisted shopping and checkout | Recurring or delegated purchases |
These models can work together. An autonomous flow may return the user to a Human-Present flow when a merchant or credential provider cannot confirm that the purchase fits the approved constraints.
Human-Present Transactions extend authentication from a question of identity to a question of intent. Identity authentication asks who is acting. Transaction approval asks whether that person agrees to the exact action shown.
Modern financial authentication can add context such as device trust, location, behavior and transaction characteristics. Entersekt’s digital banking fraud prevention approach connects authentication and risk analysis across account access and high-risk actions.
In a Human-Present flow, these signals can help determine how approval should happen. A familiar device and expected purchase may support a quick user experience. An unusual merchant, amount or device may call for stronger verification or additional review.
Agentic payments introduce risks that sit across the full transaction lifecycle. The agent, merchant, credential provider and payment processor each need a reliable way to verify what was requested, what was approved and what was executed.
These risks make context important. Entersekt’s authorized push payment protection explains why authenticating a customer does not by itself establish that a payment is safe or intended. The same principle applies to agent-assisted commerce.
Institutions should assess both the technical controls and the customer journey before accepting agent-initiated payments. The objective is to preserve clear user approval while making each verification decision proportionate to the risk.
Entersekt’s view of the changing payment landscape is outlined in four shifts in digital payment trust, including the move toward security decisions that connect identity, intent, risk and evidence.
Human Present means the person directly approves the specific checkout and payment before an agent completes the purchase. The person reviews the closed transaction through a trusted surface, authenticates and signs the relevant mandates.
They can resemble traditional checkout because the person approves the final purchase. The difference is that a shopping agent may assemble the cart and coordinate the payment, while signed mandates connect the person’s approval to the transaction details.
A checkout mandate establishes that the agent is authorized to complete a particular checkout. A payment mandate establishes that the agent is authorized to pay for that checkout. Cryptographic binding connects the two records.
They can make the approval decision more explicit, but user presence alone does not stop every scam. Entersekt combines authentication with transaction context and risk intelligence so institutions can assess intent as well as identity before payment.
Entersekt helps financial institutions assess identity, device, behavior and transaction context across digital banking and payment journeys. This supports authentication decisions that can keep ordinary activity simple and apply additional verification when risk is elevated.
Relevant work includes the Agent Payments Protocol, transaction confirmation concepts from the FIDO Alliance, payment authentication standards and applicable regulatory requirements. The correct implementation depends on the payment method, jurisdiction, institution and role each party performs.