Loyal Agents
Empowering consumers through loyal AI systems that act in their best interest
Problem
AI agents are rapidly becoming the front door to commerce. Some—like ChatGPT Agent, Perplexity, or Alexa+—help consumers navigate the marketplace. Others are deployed by businesses to manage first-party relationships. These systems will soon mediate how hundreds of millions of consumers choose, purchase, and interact with brands.
This shift creates both opportunity and risk. Consumers need agents that act in their best interests, transparently and securely. Businesses need clear standards and predictable frameworks to avoid reputational, legal, and operational pitfalls. Trusted and loyal agents can unlock adoption and many new possibilities for commerce; untrustworthy ones could erode markets and invite regulatory backlash.
Our Approach
We believe that AI should serve the consumer’s best interests—and do so transparently with consumer agency and control. Without clear accountability, consent, or trust, consumers will be left to navigate powerful AI systems that weren’t designed with their needs at the center. We believe there’s a better path: AI systems that are loyal by design, working for consumers, not on them.
Building on CR’s history of consumer advocacy and our experience running authorized agent services like Permission Slip, we’re advancing research and standards to make AI agents secure, loyal, and effective advocates for consumers everywhere.
Our work centers on three main themes:
- How can AI agents transact securely on behalf of consumers?
- What fiduciary and other legal duties should agents owe their users?
- How do we ensure agents are aligned with consumer preferences?
We believe the answers will require new standards, protocols, and practical guidance for companies deploying or integrating with these systems.
Milestones Ahead
Over the next year, CR alongside its partners will:
- Convene thought leaders to develop shared principles and best practices
- Develop prototypes of consumer-authorized AI agents
- Test operational benchmarks to measure duty of loyalty in AI systems
- Collaborate with policymakers, regulators, and industry partners
- Share findings back to the public interest tech community, demonstrating what a more dynamic, competitive marketplace driven by “loyal by design” AI could look like
If you’re interested in these topics and have ideas about how CR should be showing up in the AI agent landscape, we’re eager to hear from you! Drop us a line at innovationlab@cr.consumer.org.
