Visa Study, October 31, 2026: 82% of UAE Shoppers Would Let AI Buy for Them. What Brands Should Do Now
Short answer
On October 31, 2026, Arabian Business reported findings from Visa Acceptance Solutions' 2026 Global Digital Shopping Index (agentic edition), produced by PYMNTS Intelligence: 82 per cent of surveyed UAE consumers said they would let an AI shopping agent make a purchase for them within a spending limit, and 72 per cent had used AI during their most recent purchase journey. Yet only 19 per cent of surveyed merchants said they had product data structured so AI agents can read it, and 31 per cent could clearly identify sales coming from AI platforms. Earlier in October, Majid Al Futtaim's CEO said AI already influences around 9 per cent of the group's customer transactions. For UAE brands, the message is clear: make your products easy for AI to understand, trust and buy. Husbar helps UAE stores get ready.
Key takeaways
- ✓82% of surveyed UAE shoppers would let an AI agent buy within a limit (Visa/PYMNTS).
- ✓Only 19% of surveyed merchants have product data AI agents can read.
- ✓Few merchants can tell when a sale came from an AI platform.
- ✓Start with structured product data, clear policies and trusted payments.
What the study found (as reported, UAE figures)
| Finding | Figure | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Shoppers who would let an AI agent buy within a limit | 82% | AI-assisted buying is coming fast |
| Shoppers who used AI in their last purchase journey | 72% | AI already influences discovery and choice |
| Shoppers expecting to use an AI shopping agent within two years | 71% | Plan now, not later |
| Merchants with product data AI agents can read | 19% | An opportunity to stand out |
| Merchants who can identify AI-originated sales | 31% | Attribution needs work |
| Shoppers influenced by their preferred payment method being accepted | 86% | Payment options matter |
What this means for UAE businesses
Discovery is shifting
Shoppers increasingly ask AI assistants for recommendations. If your products are not described clearly and consistently online, AI tools may not recommend them.
Data is the new shelf space
Structured product data (names, prices, availability, sizes, materials, reviews) is what AI agents read. Most merchants are not ready, which is an opening for those who move first.
Trust and payments
Visa's UAE country manager, Mario Makary, pointed to structured data, acceptance capabilities and trusted payment infrastructure as priorities. Shoppers also want to stay in control of how agents spend their money.
Measurement
With few merchants able to identify AI-originated sales, setting up tracking now will help you see what is working as this channel grows.
What to do now: an AI-readiness plan
- Audit your product data: complete titles, descriptions, prices, stock, sizes, materials and images.
- Add product structured data to your website.
- Keep your Google Merchant Center feed accurate and complete.
- Write clear delivery, returns and payment policies in plain language.
- Collect genuine reviews and display them.
- Make sure common payment methods are supported.
- Track referral traffic from AI assistants in analytics where possible.
- Create helpful content that answers the questions shoppers ask AI.
Want this applied to your brand?
We will find the psychology behind your lost sales and show you what to fix first.
Book a Growth AuditOriginal AI-readiness checklist for online stores
- Every product has a descriptive title and full specifications.
- Prices and stock update automatically.
- Product structured data passes Google's test.
- Merchant Center feed has no major errors.
- Delivery, returns and payment policies are clear and easy to find.
- Reviews are genuine and visible.
- FAQ pages answer common buying questions.
- Analytics separates AI assistant referrals where possible.
A worked example
Picture a Dubai electronics accessories store with hundreds of products but thin descriptions copied from suppliers. After reading the study, the team rewrites titles and descriptions for its top products with full specifications, adds product structured data and fixes errors in its Merchant Center feed, publishes plain-language delivery and returns pages, and adds a buying-guide FAQ. It sets up analytics to watch for visits from AI assistants. The store treats this as ongoing work, updating data as products change. (Illustrative example.)
Want Husbar to do this for you?
Husbar can audit your product data, structured data and feeds and build an AI-readiness plan for your store. Book a free Growth Audit, or start with our free 60-second website audit.
A note on the figures
These figures come from a survey commissioned by Visa and produced by PYMNTS Intelligence, as reported by Arabian Business. The article did not state the sample size, so treat the numbers as a strong signal of direction rather than precise market measurements.
Not just for big retailers
Small and medium stores can move faster than large ones. Clean data and clear policies for your top 50 products are a realistic first step that also improves Google Shopping and normal SEO today.
Keep the human touch
Even as AI agents handle more shopping, brands still win through product quality, service and trust. AI readiness is about being found and chosen; your brand and experience are what make customers come back.
How Husbar helps
Husbar helps UAE online stores get ready for AI-driven shopping: product data and structured data, Merchant Center feeds, AI search optimisation, content that answers buyer questions and analytics. Our e-commerce and retail growth team can take this on end to end, or support your team. book a free Growth Audit.
Questions to ask before you start
- Is our product data complete and consistent?
- Do we have product structured data?
- Is our Merchant Center feed healthy?
- Are our policies clear?
- Can we see visits from AI assistants?
Key terms
- AI shopping agent: software that searches, compares and buys on a shopper's behalf.
- Agentic commerce: shopping carried out partly or fully by AI agents.
- Structured data: code that describes products to machines.
- Product feed: a file listing products for platforms such as Google.
- Attribution: identifying which channel led to a sale.
Mistakes to avoid
- Thin, copied product descriptions.
- Outdated prices or stock in feeds.
- Hidden or unclear policies.
- Ignoring AI referral traffic.
- Waiting until competitors are ready.
Why traffic is not the real problem
Most online stores ask for more traffic when the bigger win is converting and keeping the visitors they already pay for. Better offers, faster checkout, stronger product pages and follow-up flows usually lift revenue before a single extra dirham goes into ads.
Related reading: agentic commerce for UAE online stores, the AI search optimisation checklist for 2027, e-commerce SEO for UAE stores and Google AI Mode and SEO.
What did the Visa study say about UAE shoppers?+
As reported by Arabian Business on October 31, 2026, 82% of surveyed UAE consumers would let an AI agent make a purchase within a spending limit.
Are UAE retailers ready for AI shopping agents?+
According to the study, only 19% of surveyed merchants had product data AI agents can read, so most are not yet ready.
What is agentic commerce?+
Shopping where AI agents search, compare and sometimes buy on behalf of consumers, within limits they set.
How can my store prepare for AI shopping?+
Improve product data and structured data, keep feeds accurate, clarify policies, support common payments and track AI referrals.
Does Husbar work with Shopify, Salla and marketplace sellers?+
Yes. Husbar works with online stores on Shopify, Salla, Zid and WooCommerce, and with sellers on Amazon.ae and noon, across ads, conversion and retention.
Can Husbar run my e-commerce marketing end to end?+
Yes. We can run ads, email and WhatsApp flows, product page copy and creative as one plan, or support your in-house team.
Sources
- [Arabian Business: UAE shoppers embrace AI, 82% would let it make purchases (Oct 31, 2026)](https://www.arabianbusiness.com/business/retail/uae-shoppers-embrace-ai)
- [Arabian Business: Majid Al Futtaim says AI influences 9% of customer transactions (Oct 16, 2026)](https://www.arabianbusiness.com/business/retail/majid-al-futtaim-says-ai-influences-9-of-customer-transactions-as-it-develops-15-minute-deliveries)
- [Google Search Central: product structured data](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/product)
- [Google Merchant Center Help](https://support.google.com/merchants)
Team Husbar
Husbar Editorial
Team Husbar is the strategy, psychology and research team at Husbar, a psychology-led growth agency headquartered in Dubai. Together we have worked with 100+ brands over 10+ years.
Want this applied to your brand?
We will find the psychology behind your lost sales and show you what to fix first.
Book a Growth AuditKeep reading
