AI Influences 9% Of Majid Al Futtaim Customer Transactions, CEO Tells Sharjah Investment Forum 2026
AI agents now play a role in 9% of Majid Al Futtaim’s customer transactions by recommending products, influencing choices or directing purchases, up from virtually zero a few months ago, the company’s CEO, Ahmed Galal Ismail, told the Sharjah Investment Forum (SIF) 2026. He said the shift underscores the growing importance of consumer trust as technology shapes purchasing decisions.
Speaking during “The Consumer of 2035” session with moderator Rania Saadi, Radio Personality at Pulse95 Radio, Ismail outlined the changes observed across their business, which serves 600 million customers annually, “greater demand for value for money, exceptional experiences and AI-assisted purchases”.
As AI increases price and product transparency, he said trusted relationships will become increasingly important. Referring to “Edelman’s Trust Barometer” and Microsoft’s AI-use research, he described a correlation between institutional trust and AI use, highlighting the UAE’s strong position on both.
“Customers will continue to give a bigger share of their hearts, minds and wallets to brands and companies that they trust more,” he said.
A stronger focus on connecting convenience with experience as one-fourth of all MAF retail purchases are made online
Ismail said 25% of Majid Al Futtaim’s retail business is conducted online. Growing demand for groceries, entertainment and other services at home creates opportunities, he explained, alongside an appetite for distinctive experiences outside it.
“We are in the business of experiences, whether we deliver that experience at home or curate it in a shopping destination,” he said.
Digital commerce is also creating new revenue opportunities. Ismail said digital advertising was Majid Al Futtaim’s fastest-growing revenue stream in its latest first-half results. Its AI-enabled Precision Media business uses apps and loyalty platforms to present relevant advertisements at the right moment, extending the ability to influence purchasing decisions across physical and digital shopping journeys.
Responding to these changes also requires new leadership capabilities. Ismail described “integrative intelligence” as combining analytics, empathy, insight and intuition with agentic AI, including managing employees and AI agents. Businesses must also nurture their intellectual capital: data assets, algorithms and agents, he added.
Ismail said Majid Al Futtaim already has AI agents working alongside employees and expects their number to match that of its office-based workforce in the near future. Leading this combination, he explained, requires a different toolkit for allocating resources and managing both people and AI agents.
“That type of intellectual capital is something that needs to be treated with the same level of care and prudence, just like we deal with financial and human capital,” said Ismail.
Organised by the Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Investment, the ninth SIF runs on October 14–15 at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre under the theme “Building Adaptive Economies”. The forum is expected to welcome more than 10,000 participants from over 60 countries, with more than 80 speakers and over 140 activities, including panels, keynote addresses, workshops and business meetings.
