UAE Consumers Lead Shift Toward AI-Powered Shopping as Agentic Commerce Gains Momentum

Dubai | EcoPulse24

The UAE is emerging as one of the world's most advanced markets for AI-driven commerce, with consumers showing a greater willingness than their global peers to allow artificial intelligence systems to make purchasing decisions on their behalf.

A new study by global digital payments company Checkout.com found that consumers in the UAE are leading the adoption of what is increasingly known as "agentic commerce," where AI agents search, compare, select and complete purchases autonomously based on user preferences and financial parameters.

UAE Consumers Show Strong Trust in AI Purchasing Agents

According to the survey, 79% of UAE consumers are comfortable allowing artificial intelligence to complete purchases on their behalf, highlighting a level of trust that exceeds other markets included in the study.

The research also found that consumers who are not currently using AI-powered shopping tools expect agentic commerce to account for at least 10% of their online purchases within the next 12 months.

The findings suggest that AI is rapidly moving beyond content generation and productivity applications into real-world commercial transactions.

Consumers Prioritize Convenience Over Brand Loyalty

One of the study's most notable findings is the willingness of UAE consumers to prioritize value and efficiency over traditional brand preferences.

Approximately 71% of respondents said they would allow an AI shopping agent to switch brands or replace products if it identified a better-value alternative.

This reflects a significant shift in consumer behavior, where purchasing decisions increasingly depend on data-driven recommendations rather than long-established brand loyalty.

The trend could have important implications for retailers and consumer brands competing in an AI-mediated marketplace.

AI Expands Into Financial and High-Value Decisions

The survey also revealed growing comfort with allowing AI systems access to more sensitive financial information.

Around 24% of UAE consumers said they would be comfortable sharing salary information, disposable income levels and real-time bank balances with AI agents to improve purchasing decisions.

Meanwhile, 22% indicated that financial services and insurance products would be among the first categories they would trust AI agents to manage on their behalf.

The findings point to a broader evolution in how consumers interact with financial technology and automated decision-making systems.

Digital Commerce Moves Beyond Traditional E-Commerce

The concept of agentic commerce represents the next phase of digital retail, where consumers increasingly delegate tasks to AI rather than manually comparing products, prices and services.

The research found that 72% of UAE consumers would be willing to use AI agents to bypass digital waiting lines when purchasing tickets for events and entertainment experiences.

This highlights how AI is evolving from a recommendation engine into an active participant in commercial transactions.

Key Findings From the Survey

Financial Institutions Face New Responsibilities

As AI agents become increasingly involved in purchasing decisions, consumers also expect greater accountability from financial institutions and payment providers.

The study found that many respondents believe banks and financial service providers should assume responsibility when AI agents make purchasing errors or generate unexpected costs.

This introduces new regulatory and operational challenges as the financial sector adapts to the rise of autonomous commerce.

EcoPulse24 Analysis

The significance of this study extends well beyond online shopping. It provides one of the clearest signals yet that the UAE may become an early testing ground for the emerging Agentic AI Economy, where intelligent software agents increasingly act on behalf of consumers across commerce, finance and digital services.

Unlike traditional e-commerce, agentic commerce shifts decision-making from the user to the algorithm. Consumers no longer search, compare and execute transactions manually; instead, AI agents perform these tasks autonomously within predefined preferences and financial constraints.

The UAE's high level of digital adoption, advanced payments infrastructure and strong consumer openness toward technology create favorable conditions for this transition. The willingness of consumers to allow AI access to financial information and purchasing authority suggests that trust barriers may be lower than in many Western markets.

For retailers, banks and fintech companies, the implications are significant. As AI agents become the primary interface between consumers and businesses, competition may increasingly depend on machine-readable pricing, availability, service quality and transaction efficiency rather than traditional marketing alone.

The findings also reinforce a broader global trend: artificial intelligence is moving from an advisory role into an execution role. The next stage of digital transformation may not be about helping consumers make decisions, but about allowing AI systems to make those decisions directly.

If that transition continues at its current pace, agentic commerce could become one of the most important developments shaping the future of retail, payments and financial services during the second half of this decade.