about two-thirds South African consumers have turned to artificial intelligence to assist with shopping-related tasks, according to new survey data from Visa, pointing to a rapid change in the way locals interact with digital payment technologies.
Visa Spend Shift Survey, conducted by morning consultation Among a thousand South African adults in October 2025, it found that 63% of respondents have used AI tools for tasks including product research, brainstorming gift ideas and communicating with customer service.
About 45% believe AI-powered tools are more likely to get the best possible price. However, the data reveals a clear trust gap: 63% still prefer to speak with a human customer service representative rather than an AI chatbot.
The survey also highlights growing comfort with biometric authentication, with 66% of respondents saying they already use fingerprint or facial recognition to authorize payments. Digital wallets are also gaining popularity – 39% of South Africans say they are the fastest payment option.
Perhaps the most surprising finding for cross-border payments is that 57% of those sending money abroad said they would consider using stablecoins as payment, suggesting an appetite for blockchain-based alternatives in the remittance market.
Security remains the top concern, with 88% of respondents rating it “extremely important” when choosing a payment method. While consumers view banks (76%) and payments networks (71%) as the primary line of defense against emerging threats, 67% believe they themselves bear significant responsibility for fraud detection.
new payment methods
On the AI front, 60% expressed concerns about how their personal data is being used by AI-powered shopping and payment tools – even as adoption increases.
“South Africans are showing that trust and technology can go hand in hand, with consumers willing to adopt new payment solutions when they offer both convenience and peace of mind,” said Visa South Africa country manager Lineshri Moodley in a statement on Wednesday.
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The survey was conducted online, including data by gender, education, age and race. The margin of error in the results is plus or minus three percentage points. — (c) 2026 NewsCentral Media
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