Visa has released its annual Stay Secure study in the UAE, conducted by Wakefield Research, highlighting how AI-powered shopping and the rise of social commerce are reshaping consumer behaviour, alongside ongoing concerns around trust and fraud protection in digital transactions.
The report shows that 85% of UAE consumers have used AI tools during their shopping journeys. These tools are most commonly used for checking reviews or product ratings (60%), comparing prices (59%), and finding gift ideas (55%). According to Visa, this reflects strong confidence in emerging technologies, with 93% of respondents agreeing that AI and other innovations are making online shopping faster and more convenient. AI is also playing a growing role in product discovery, with 60% of consumers saying they often find new brands or retailers while shopping online.
Despite this growing adoption, trust remains limited when it comes to AI completing transactions. Only 32% of respondents said they would trust AI agents to finalise checkout processes, underscoring the importance of building confidence in “agentic commerce.”
The study also found that consumers increasingly see AI as a tool for fraud prevention. Around 57% believe AI has already made scams easier to detect, while 85% expect it to play a key role in protecting users from fraud in the future.
Social commerce continues to expand, with 69% of UAE consumers reporting purchases made directly through social media platforms. However, fraud risks are also present across digital channels. About 46% of respondents said they experienced a financial scam in the past year, with 38% of those cases occurring on social media—higher than on websites, marketplaces, or shopping apps.
The findings also highlight concerns about children’s online safety, with 80% of respondents saying children struggle to identify scams, and 67% reporting cases of children falling victim to scams while gaming or shopping online. At the same time, 33% of parents said their children have access to mobile payment apps or digital wallets.
When it comes to responsibility for fraud protection, consumers expect institutions to take the lead. Around 36% believe banks or financial institutions should be primarily responsible, with equal proportions pointing to government regulators. Payment providers were cited by 34%, while only 19% felt consumers themselves should bear primary responsibility.
Consumers also expressed a desire for stronger safeguards, with 60% saying real-time fraud alerts from banks or payment apps would increase their sense of security, and 33% saying familiar trusted logos at checkout would improve confidence.
Commenting on the findings, Dibyajyoti Sen, Head of Risk, GCC at Visa, said fraud is becoming more sophisticated as online shopping and social commerce expand, making secure-by-design payment systems increasingly important.
He added that while consumers are embracing the convenience of AI in shopping, they remain cautious about AI completing purchases on their behalf, and said initiatives like Visa Intelligent Commerce aim to build trust, control, and confidence in the next phase of digital commerce.
