The news: US American Express Business cardholders can use Perplexity to streamline common business tasks with custom AI programs, per a press release.

These programs, called Skills for Perplexity Computer, connect Amex members’ card activity to the chatbot. Members can use Computer to get insights on cash flow forecasting, tax prep, vendor benchmarking, and marketing campaign generation. Skills programs appear as buttons within the chatbot.

Accounts are connected to Perplexity through the platform’s partnership with Plaid. 

How we got here: American Express is executing on the agentic ambitions it laid out in its 2026 shareholder letter:

• The issuer launched the Agentic Commerce Experience (ACE) developer kit to enable secure transactions carried out by AI agents in April.
• And it partnered with platforms like ChatGPT and Claude to make booking reservations through Resy possible within the chatbots.

Implications for issuers: With Skills for Perplexity Computer, American Express is making a stronger case for commercial clients to funnel payments and the rest of their finances through the credit card company. 

Given the complexity of SMB and corporate clients’ payment needs, the providers that offer the most comprehensive tools that save owners time and money stand to earn their loyalty—especially when coupled with sought-after card features: 

• 56% of SMBs are very or extremely interested in a card that lets you choose rewards or lower APRs each statement period, per PYMNTS Intelligence.
• 54.9% want flexible due dates based on their business’s cash flow or receivables.
• And 53.2% want the ability to create subscription-based cards with unique numbers for specific purchases, vendors, or employees.

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