"Visa" released the annual Stay Secure study in the UAE on June 9, which assesses consumer awareness and behaviors around digital commerce and fraud. This year's edition highlights how AI‑enabled shopping and social commerce are changing consumer behavior even as expectations around trust and protection remain firmly in place.

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

This trend, according to Visa, reflects widespread confidence in the benefits offered by modern technologies, with 93 percent 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 percent 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 percent 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 feel AI has made scams easier to recognize today and 85 percent believe AI will play a critical role in protecting consumers from fraud in the future.