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Nearly All Saudi Gen Z & Millennials Will Be AR Users By 2025
A new white paper by Snap Inc and others reveals how immersive tech will transform the retail industry in Saudi Arabia.
Snap Inc, the owner of Snapchat, has partnered with PwC Middle East and Retail Leaders Circle (RLC) to commission a white paper entitled, “The shift towards immersive shopping: New opportunities for retailers in KSA”.
The study (which you can find here) focuses on the evolution of the typical Saudi consumer and how shoppers now desire more immersive retail experiences. The paper points out that businesses must embrace digital and hyper-responsive AR experiences as the backbone of their marketing strategies rather than simply adding to traditional methods.
Right now, a significant gap exists between the perception of AI by consumers and brands, with 94% of brands viewing AR as being primarily for fun, whereas only 53% of consumers view it the same way.
Not only that, by 2025, it is estimated that around 75% of people worldwide will be frequent AR users. And almost all of the Gen Z and Millennial population of Saudi Arabia will use the technology frequently.
As Saudi shoppers demand ever-higher levels of convenience, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a leading role in the future of retail, enabling hyper-personalization, real-time behavioral dat, and analytics to offer the right promotions and tailored messages to customers in real time.
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“Over the years, we have seen AR evolve from being just a mode of entertainment and self-expression to delivering true value for consumers and businesses. AR is already transforming the industry and is slated to metamorphose every shopper’s journey in the near future. Today, as we ponder the future of retail, it’s time to be agile and adapt wholeheartedly to the latest in commerce,” says Abdulla Alhammadi, Regional Business Lead for KSA Market, Snap Inc.
In a world where online shopping is focused more on product rather than the consumer, Snap Inc’s report shows us a retail future driven by customer self-expression. According to Snap Inc, AR can “showcase products, push creative boundaries, drive real sales, and help reduce returns.” The company also highlights that “250 million people already engage with AR on Snapchat each day, and Snapchatters now play with AR more than 6 billion times a day on average”.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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