South Africans are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools as a core part of their shopping, with almost half of surveyed people now using AI tools weekly to inform their purchasing decisions.
This is according to latest edition of SpendTrend26, compiled by Discovery Bank and Visa, which analyses consumer spending behaviour, looking at spend nationally.
The study combines Visa’s dataset insights with Discovery Bank’s analytics, incorporating analysis on 2.6 billion credit card transactions across 12 million cards in 2025.
According to the study, the use of AI is seeing a significant shift from being a tech-sector buzzword, to a weekly household utility in SA, fundamentally altering how local consumers spend their money.
It found that 40% of surveyed South African shoppers are relying on AI tools on a weekly basis to guide their shopping decisions. The surge in adoption signals a shift toward what is called "disciplined and strategic" consumerism in a constrained economic environment.
The report highlights that AI is no longer just a backend technology for retailers; it is a front-facing tool for shoppers and is increasingly reshaping how purchasing behaviour is evolving.
According to the report, consumers are leveraging AI to answer three critical questions: what to buy, where to buy it, and − perhaps most importantly − whether to buy it at all.
"Emerging AI-driven tools are helping people make purchasing decisions about where they spend and how to get the most value," says Lineshree Moodley, country head at Visa South Africa.
“As AI tools become more sophisticated, they are expected to move from simple price-checkers to proactive financial assistants, further embedding themselves in the weekly routines of South Africans seeking to balance financial resilience with small, meaningful indulgences.”
AI subscription economy
The report points out the influence of AI extends into the growing subscription economy, with many South Africans turning to AI to manage and optimise their digital services.
While 89% of households maintain video streaming subscriptions, consumers have become highly selective − actively switching, pausing, or downgrading apps based on value and content availability.
AI tools are increasingly being used to track these recurring costs in real-time, helping users to identify potential savings.
Consumers are also increasingly using AI apps such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Jasper AI and Gemini to deliver practical value in decision-making, convenience and personalisation, it says.
AI subscriptions in SA grew 125% in 2025, becoming a significant category alongside e-commerce and streaming, the report notes.
“More broadly, consumers are actively managing subscriptions, pausing and resuming based on need. Essential categories like food and groceries show the highest return rates, while entertainment subscriptions are more closely tied to content availability.”
This surge highlights that consumers are willing to pay for AI services that deliver measurable value, particularly in helping them optimise spending decisions.
This as the broader AI market is expanding rapidly. The sector’s valuewas estimatedat $390.91 billion in 2025and is projectedto reach $3 497.26 trillion in 2033, according to a Grandview Research report.
Globally, roughly one in six people were using generative AI tools by the end of 2025, it says.
The rapid adoption of AI for shopping is also closely related to growing trust in digital ecosystems. The report found that AI-powered fraud detection gives consumers the confidence to transact more freely in digital spaces. Fully automated fraud and identity security processes are key in supporting real-time approvals.
And 32% of respondents are now using AI itself as a fraud defence – asking it to check whether a message or link looks suspicious.
On security, Moodley flags social engineering as the biggest risk the industry is watching in 2026.
“While digital fraud rates are coming down due to better controls, fraudsters are increasingly relying on social engineering tactics that exploit urgency, trust and familiarity. Encouragingly, consumers are adapting quickly, showing greater awareness, stronger authentication preferences and a growing ability to spot red flags,” she concludes.
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