Malak El Baba, Vice President and Country Manager of Visa for Egypt, Libya, and Sudan, said the biggest challenge surrounding artificial intelligence today is not the technology itself.

but establishing clear frameworks that ensure its safe and responsible use while strengthening trust in digital ecosystems.

Speaking during a panel discussion at The Shift 2026, El Baba emphasized that trust has become the defining factor in the digital payments industry, noting that consumers increasingly want transparency around how AI is used in payment systems and what safeguards exist to protect their personal data and digital identities.

She explained that cyber threats are rapidly evolving, with fraud shifting from transaction theft to identity theft, fueled by AI-powered techniques such as synthetic identities, deepfakes, and highly personalized fraud schemes.

El Baba stressed that AI governance frameworks must be built around security, transparency, accountability, and continued human oversight.

She added that strengthening digital trust requires robust protections for data privacy, digital identity, authentication systems, and fraud prevention mechanisms.

According to El Baba, Visa focuses on five core pillars in this area, including embedding security and privacy into product design, responsible data usage, human oversight, governance, and collaboration with governments, regulators, banks, fintech companies, and merchants.

She noted that these priorities are becoming increasingly important across Egypt and the wider region as digital transformation accelerates, adding that governance should not be viewed as a barrier to innovation, but rather as the foundation that enables sustainable growth.

El Baba also revealed that Visa Looking ahead, she said the company is preparing for a future driven by AI agents capable of handling large parts of the consumer purchasing journey, from recommendations and payment execution to post-sale services.

 has invested more than $3 billion in AI and data infrastructure over the past decade and currently operates more than 100 AI-powered products.

She concluded by emphasizing that while consumers seek speed and convenience, they also expect full control and protection of their data, stressing that trust must remain a core component of every digital experience.