A fast-growing practice known as agentic commerce — the use of AI programs to browse the web and make purchases on a user's behalf — is rapidly reshaping the online shopping landscape. While this trend promises automated convenience for consumers, it has also raised the specter of new forms of fraud, spam, and other large-scale internet abuse. In response, World, the identity verification company co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has stepped in with what it calls a solution.
What Is AgentKit?
On Tuesday, World announced AgentKit, a software development tool designed for commercial websites that introduces a new verification system. The tool allows those websites to confirm that a real human is behind an AI agent's purchasing decisions. AgentKit is currently available as a beta release for developers, with the company hoping that feedback will help refine the product over time.
Tools for Humanity (TFH), the startup behind World, is dedicated to building what it calls "proof of human" technology — identity verification tools for an internet increasingly flooded with AI-generated content. It is worth noting that Altman's other company, OpenAI, has itself been widely criticized for contributing to the proliferation of such content, though supporters argue he saw the problem coming when he founded World.
How Does It Work?
AgentKit relies on World ID, which is the core of TFH's verification system. The most secure version of the ID is derived from a scan of a user's eyes via World's Orb device. The Orb converts an iris into a unique and encrypted digital code — the verified World ID — which can then be used to access TFH's ecosystem of services through the company's World app.
To use AgentKit, users register their AI agents with their World ID, which then communicates to websites that a distinct and verified human approves of the agent's purchasing decisions. Consumers will need to have a verified World ID obtained through an Orb scan to qualify for this kind of verification.
Integration With the x402 Protocol
AgentKit integrates a user's World ID into a recently launched payment system known as the x402 protocol. Developed by Coinbase and Cloudflare, x402 is a blockchain-based open standard that allows automated computer programs to transact with each other directly online — without human intervention at each step.
Tools for Humanity described AgentKit as a complementary extension to the x402 v2 protocol, built in coordination with Coinbase. The integration is designed so that any website already using x402 can enable proof of unique human verification alongside or instead of micropayments.
The 'Power of Attorney' Concept
In an interview with TechCrunch, TFH Chief Product Officer Tiago Sada compared the new function to delegating "power of attorney" to an agent. By verifying that an AI program is acting on behalf of a particular user, a website can decide whether to trust the transactions initiated by those agents. Sada explained that the World ID badge tells a website that someone is a real and unique human, while noting that websites can still choose to block specific users they believe are operating in bad faith.
Big Players Embrace Agentic Commerce
The timing of this launch is significant. Major e-commerce sites and financial services companies have already begun embracing agentic commerce. Last year, companies like Amazon and Mastercard introduced automated buying capabilities to their platforms, and Google recently launched its own protocol designed to support the trend.
As the field continues to grow, the industry clearly needs safeguards to ensure that automated purchasing systems remain reliable and secure. World is positioning itself as the de facto provider of that stability, betting that its iris-based identity verification will become the trusted standard in a world where AI agents increasingly act on our behalf.
What Lies Ahead
AgentKit is still in its early stages, and its success will largely depend on how widely developers and e-commerce platforms adopt it. With agentic commerce expected to expand rapidly in the coming years, the race to build trust and security into these AI-powered transactions is well underway — and World clearly intends to lead that charge.
