Mandates can prove authority and conditions; they do not prove independent discovery, ranking, or negotiation.
Why this question matters
AP2 uses signed intent to support transactions when the user is not present. The agent can search and execute within declared limits. A merchant selection may therefore be valid under the mandate even if an affiliated marketplace suppressed competitors or several agents coordinated offers.
This distinction mirrors traditional markets: transaction authorization and fair competition are separate control layers. Agentic commerce needs evidence about the options considered, material relationships, and changes between search and purchase.
Signals worth observing
- Affiliated merchants dominate results under broad mandates.
- The selected offer meets limits but excluded better eligible offers.
- Several seller agents move price or availability together.
Practical control direction
- Record the eligible option set and ranking policy.
- Disclose material economic relationships to the principal.
- Monitor concentration and coordinated offer changes.
AgentCollusion lensAgentCollusion studies the gap between a valid mandate and the collective process that shaped its outcome.Sources and further reading
Next field note: A Cart Mandate Secures the Checkout, Not the Market
