Pi Network joined RoboPay as a payment partner, so $PI can be spent on real world robot services through Fabric Foundation's network.

Machines getting paid directly is a narrow use case for now, and I'd guess it stays that way a while, but the payment side already sits on a phone rather than behind a card or an account.

https://pinews.bsc.news/en/post/what-does-pi-network-joining-robopay-mean-for-pi-holders