Meta's Chief Data Officer Says Agentic Commerce is the "Next Tier of Business"

Meta’s Chief Data Officer Alex Schultz said the company views agentic commerce as a major future business line, with AI agents already being used by over a million weekly active businesses on Meta platforms. He argued that conversational commerce via WhatsApp, powered by stablecoins and digital payments, could scale from simple tasks like planning a birthday party to logistics, settlements, and cross-border trade. Schultz framed Meta as an interface layer rather than a currency issuer, signaling a preference for partnerships with regulated stablecoin providers. The remarks suggest Meta is leaning into AI-driven commerce and crypto payment rails, which could support broader adoption of stablecoins and digital identity systems. The tone is strategically bullish for Meta’s long-term monetization ambitions, while also highlighting regulatory lessons from the failed Libra/Diem effort.