Visa study: AI in shopping used by 85% of UAE consumers, raising fraud and safety concerns
Visa study reveals AI in shopping used by 85% of UAE consumers; exposes fraud risks, social commerce growth, and urges banks, payment providers and regulators to act.
A new Visa study titled “Stay Secure” finds that AI in shopping is now part of the daily retail experience for most consumers in the UAE, with 85% reporting they have used AI tools when shopping online. The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research for Visa, shows shoppers rely on AI to check product reviews, compare prices and generate gift ideas while still prioritizing trust and payment security. Respondents expressed a clear preference for convenience, but remain cautious about letting AI complete payments on their behalf.
Visa survey details AI use cases and adoption rates
The study reports that 60% of UAE consumers use AI tools to verify product ratings and user opinions, while 59% use them to compare prices across retailers. Another 55% said they turn to AI for gift suggestions, illustrating how generative and recommendation technologies are reshaping purchase decisions. Overall, 93% of participants agreed that AI-enabled tools have made online shopping faster and easier than before.
The data points to growing comfort with AI for discovery and pre-purchase research, but also highlights limits to that comfort. Only 32% of respondents said they trust AI agents to complete a payment for them, indicating a gap between using AI for information and allowing it to act autonomously at checkout. That gap underscores the continuing importance of consumer confidence when transactions are involved.
AI helping detect fraud but risks persist
More than half of respondents, 57%, said AI has helped them identify fraudulent activity, and 85% believe AI will play a central role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future. These findings suggest that shoppers view AI not only as a convenience tool but also as part of the solution to evolving online threats. Yet the prevalence of fraud remains significant: 46% of participants reported experiencing a financial scam in the previous 12 months.
The persistence of fraud despite AI-assisted detection points to increasingly sophisticated threat tactics and the need for layered defenses. Consumers appear ready to accept AI as a monitoring and detection asset, but expect institutions to implement robust safeguards rather than shifting responsibility to users alone.
Social commerce fuels purchases and fraud exposure
Social media platforms have become entrenched channels for commerce, with 69% of UAE consumers saying they have purchased directly through social networks. This expansion of social commerce is driving both sales and new avenues for fraud, as 38% of reported scam incidents occurred via social media channels. That share exceeds fraud reported through traditional websites, marketplaces and standalone shopping apps.
Industry observers say the convenience of in-app checkout and influencer-led promotions accelerates purchases but can also bypass established protections. The study’s findings point to the need for better verification and monitoring tools within social platforms to reduce abuse and protect buyers.
Children’s vulnerability to online scams raises alarm among parents
Respondents expressed growing concern about children’s exposure to online commerce and fraud. Eighty percent said children in their circles may struggle to distinguish scams from legitimate offers, and 67% reported witnessing a child being targeted or affected while playing games or shopping online. A third of parents indicated their children can access mobile payment apps or digital wallets on family devices.
These results highlight a widening responsibility for guardians, educators and platforms to provide age-appropriate safeguards. As more children engage with digital marketplaces and in-game purchases, industry and policy responses will be increasingly judged on their ability to prevent unintended transactions and protect minors’ data.
Consumers assign primary responsibility to banks, regulators and payment providers
When asked who should lead fraud protection, 36% of respondents placed primary responsibility on banks and financial institutions, and an equal 36% assigned it to regulators and government agencies. Thirty-four percent said payment service providers should shoulder a key role, while just 19% felt consumers themselves should bear the main responsibility. Many shoppers therefore expect institutional leadership and proactive measures.
The study also identifies specific consumer preferences for security measures. Sixty percent said instant alerts from their bank or payment app when suspicious activity is detected increase their sense of security, and 33% feel more comfortable seeing a familiar, trusted logo at checkout. These preferences signal opportunities for banks and payment platforms to build trust through transparency and real-time communication.
Visa’s regional risk lead, Debjagoti Sen, emphasized that growth in e-commerce and social commerce is matched by evolving fraud methods, and that consumers expect financial institutions and regulators to take the lead. He said the findings underline the need to design payment systems with security embedded from the outset, even as commerce shifts toward AI-driven experiences.
Consumers welcome the convenience AI provides in browsing and decision-making, but the study makes clear they are not yet ready to transfer full transactional trust to autonomous agents. The results point to a transitional period in which technological innovation and stronger institutional protections must advance together to maintain consumer confidence.