AI Assisted 72% of UAE Shoppers’ Latest Purchases

Retailers and technology companies are investing in agentic commerce, aiming to move artificial intelligence beyond product searches toward selection and checkout. Consumers, however, appear more comfortable using AI to compare prices, identify promotions and narrow crowded product lists than allowing it to complete purchases. The gap matters because trust, accuracy and control could determine whether AI shopping tools become mainstream sales channels or remain research aids.

Gartner said on May 27, 2026, that a January survey of 322 U.S. consumers found 31% would let AI narrow household-supply choices and 28% would do so for personal electronics. Willingness to let AI make a purchase decision topped out at just 11%. A separate Gartner survey of 846 consumers, conducted from November through December 2025, found 54% of recent AI-assisted shoppers had to verify all information provided, while 62% said the results wasted their time.

Advances in artificial intelligence are ushering digital retail into an era of “agentic commerce,” in which consumers delegate product searches, price comparisons and even final purchases to autonomous AI shopping agents. The shift could eliminate the lengthy comparison process associated with conventional online shopping and fully automate everyday purchasing decisions, fundamentally reshaping global retail operations and consumer behavior.

A report released by payments provider Checkout.com in June 2026 found that UAE consumers lead the world in embracing autonomous shopping agents. As many as 79% of UAE respondents were willing to authorize AI to complete transactions independently, while 64% trusted AI decisions more than those of family members. Globally, consumers were willing to authorize AI agents to spend an average of £177 per transaction, highlighting the substantial commercial potential of automated shopping.