Nearly three-quarters or 74 per cent of Asia-Pacific consumers are already using AI tools to shop online, yet concerns over security and transparency make them hesitate before completing purchases, according to a study released this week by payment company Visa.
A good 26 per cent of respondents said they were unsure whether AI-generated recommendations fully align with their best interests, signalling a preference for more transparency and user control when using AI-powered shopping.
Notably, while consumers appear comfortable relying on AI for tasks such as price comparisons and product research, reluctance increases when transactions involve sensitive information.
Some 32 per cent of consumers are hesitant about sharing personal or payment data with AI systems, and 45 per cent are open to AI-powered or agentic commerce provided there are more safeguards around payment security.
The research also suggests that caution is more pronounced among affluent consumers. According to Visa, 39 per cent of higher-income households reported higher expectations regarding data use, compared with 29 per cent among lower-income groups. Digital-first economies such as Australia (38 per cent), New Zealand (37 per cent), and Singapore (34 per cent) recorded above-average levels of concern.
The findings come from a study commissioned by Visa and conducted by YouGov last year. It polled 14,764 consumers aged 18 and above across 14 markets in the region, offering a snapshot of how AI is reshaping digital commerce.
Visa said the results highlight a growing divide between consumers’ willingness to use AI for browsing and their readiness to trust AI systems with personal and financial information.
As digital commerce becomes increasingly mobile-first and AI-driven, the company stressed that transparency around data use and robust security measures will be critical to sustaining adoption.
AI is playing a growing role in how consumers discover and choose products, but building trust in AI will determine whether AI-powered commerce can truly scale, said T R Ramachandran, head of products and solutions for Asia-Pacific at Visa.
“As AI becomes part of the checkout experience, trust and control become even more important,” he added. “Consumers want to understand how their data is being used and feel confident that every transaction is secure.”
Visa also noted that today’s consumer attitudes point to the need for trusted frameworks in AI-enabled commerce. The company highlighted its initiatives, including Visa Intelligent Commerce and the Trusted Agent Protocol, that are aimed at providing a secure infrastructure for interactions between consumers, AI agents, and merchants.
“Consumers are ready for AI to play a more active role in shopping” said Ramachandran. “For this shift to accelerate, trust and secure authentication must be in place.”
Visa said it is focusing on technologies such as tokenisation and payment passkeys to help deliver what it describes as seamless and secure AI-enabled payment experiences.
The study also revealed notable regional differences in consumer attitudes. Emerging markets such as India and Vietnam showed higher openness to AI-driven purchases, with 42 per cent of consumers in both countries expressing willingness to use AI for online shopping.
In contrast, consumers in digitally mature markets including Singapore, Japan, and New Zealand are more reserved, reflecting what Visa characterised as stricter expectations around privacy, security, and personal control.
