85% in UAE use AI to shop but only 32% trust it in handling transactions on their behalf: Study

'Visa' on Tuesday released the annual Stay Secure study in the UAE, which assesses consumer awareness and behaviors around digital commerce and fraud. This year’s edition, conducted by Wakefield Research, highlights how AI‑enabled shopping and social commerce are changing consumer behaviour even as expectations around trust and protection remain firmly in place.

Consumers are embracing artificial intelligence as part of their shopping journeys. 85 per cent in the UAE have used AI tools to assist with shopping, including checking reviews or product ratings (60 per cent), comparing prices (59 per cent), and finding gift ideas (55 per cent).

This trend, according to Visa, reflects widespread confidence in the benefits offered by modern technologies, with 93 per cent of respondents believing that new technologies, including AI-powered tools, are making online shopping faster and easier than before.

Artificial intelligence is also influencing product and brand discovery, with 60 per cent of consumers typically discovering new brands or retailers while shopping online.

However, consumers remain more cautious when it comes to AI handling transactions on their behalf. Today, only 32 per cent would trust AI agents to complete checkout, reinforcing the importance of earning consumer trust in the age of agentic commerce.

As AI adoption grows, consumers increasingly view technology as part of the solution to fraud. Fifty-seven percent (57 percent) feel AI has made scams easier to recognise today and 85 percent believe AI will play a critical role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future.

Shopping through social platforms has become mainstream, with 69 percent of consumers in the UAE having purchased products directly through social media platforms. As commerce expands across new channels, fraud risks continue to follow consumers online.

Forty-six per cent (46 per cent) have experienced a financial scam in the past 12 months. Among those who have experienced a scam, 38 per cent report the incident occurred on social media, more than those who encounter scams on other platforms such as websites, online marketplaces, or shopping apps.

The study also highlights growing concern around how children encounter scams online, with 80 percent of consumers reporting that children in their lives struggle to recognise scams. A significant 67 per cent have seen a child fall victim to a scam while gaming or shopping online.

That concern comes as children gain greater access to digital commerce. Thirty-three per cent (33 per cent) of parents in the UAE have children who can access mobile payment apps or digital wallets.

When it comes to protecting against fraud while shopping online, consumers look first to institutions rather than themselves. Thirty-six per cent (36 per cent) believe banks or financial institutions should be primarily responsible and an equal share say the same for government authorities or regulators. Thirty-four per cent (34 per cent) of consumers believe payment providers are responsible, while only 19 per cent believe consumers themselves should hold primary responsibility.

They also want more proactive reassurance. Sixty per cent (60 per cent) would feel secure receiving real-time alerts from their bank or payment app when something looks suspicious, while 33 per cent would feel more comfortable seeing a familiar, trusted logo at checkout.

"Visa’s Stay Secure study reveals that as online shopping and social commerce continue to accelerate, fraud and scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Consumers perceive fraud protection as a shared responsibility but expect banks and payment providers to take the lead, highlighting the importance of secure-by-design payment systems,” said Dibyajyoti Sen, Head of Risk, GCC, Visa.

He continued, "As commerce moves toward more AI-powered and agentic experiences, consumers are embracing the convenience AI can bring to shopping but remain sceptical about AI completing purchases on their behalf. With Visa Intelligent Commerce, we are enabling the next era of commerce built on trust, control and confidence.”

WAM