E-commerce in Saudi Arabia is booming. According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, online spending via mada cards surged to SR29.86 billion ($7.96 billion) in July — a 79.45 percent% increase year -on -year. This growth is driven by a young, tech- savvy population and near ubiquitous Internet access. In recent years, the retail experience has been transformed by the move from cash to digital payments. Now, the way Saudi residents shop is set to change again.
Progress in generative AI is bringing an era of hyper-personalized, automated shopping —agentic commerce. Soon, AI agents will anticipate needs, show the best choices, restock essentials and manage purchases in real time. They will also handle back office chores for merchants, from invoicing to settling disputes.
Agentic commerce could be highly rewarding for retailers ready to seize its opportunities and efficiencies. Merchants that act now will put themselves in a strong position to prosper.
How merchants can prepare
Shops should start by putting their digital shelves in order. AI buyers work best when product information is complete and consistent. Every item should have details that a machine can read, such as size, material, price, tax, shipping, and stock. Promises should be exact. “Ships within one business day” is better than “ships fast.” Verified reviews, certifications, and sustainability claims should be stored in formats that AI can check instantly.
A smooth checkout matters just as much. Shoppers, whether human or AI, are more likely to buy when the total cost is clear from the start, prices and stock match what was promised, and the process takes as few steps as possible.
Reward programs will also need to adapt. AI agents will compare offers with the same care as a skilled shopper. Rewards that work across supermarkets, airlines, and fashion brands could all influence agents’ buying decisions.
Payment infrastructure is part of this readiness. The Visa Acceptance Platform, now hosted on a local Saudi cloud, offers merchants a single integration for faster, more secure transactions. It is designed to meet the latest specifications for agent‑driven payments, so businesses can connect once and remain ready as standards evolve.
Building trust in AI- driven payments
Commerce depends on the systems that let buyers pay and merchants take and manage transactions. Those systems must also be trusted. Shoppers, sellers and banks all need confidence that AI- driven payments are safe and reliable. Agents will have to capture the buyer’s intent, process payments securely and deal with problems such as fraud or disputes.
Visa is building frameworks that consumers and merchants can trust. Visa Intelligent Commerce, for example, links AI agents to its network with credentials and controls to keep transactions secure. And the Visa Acceptance Agent Toolkit, now in pilot, can turn back- office jobs such as invoicing or sending payment links into tasks an AI agent can handle with a simple prompt.
Embracing AI shoppers
Saudi Arabia has embraced new ways to shop before. In 2023, the Kingdom already reached Vision 2030’s target of 70 percent% non- cash retail transactions —ahead of its 2025 schedule. This momentum continued, with the amount of non-cash transactions climbing to 79 percent% in 2024. Saudi residents are likely to adopt agentic commerce with the same enthusiasm. For merchants, the challenge is not just to deliver the goods, but to do so in ways that keep both human and silicon shoppers coming back.
- The writer, Rob Cameron, is the Global Head of Visa Acceptance Solutions.
