Google Unveils Open Standard to Connect AI Shopping Agents Across Retailers
Google introduces the Universal Commerce Protocol, a new open standard developed with major retailers to streamline AI-driven shopping from product discovery to checkout. The protocol integrates with existing agent frameworks and will soon power direct purchases within Google Search and Gemini apps.
Google announces a new open standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) designed to streamline AI agent-based shopping. Developed in collaboration with major retailers like Shopify, Walmart, Target, and Etsy, this protocol allows AI agents to handle the entire customer buying process seamlessly. Instead of requiring separate connections for different stages of a transaction, UCP provides a unified framework that works alongside existing agentic protocols such as AP2, A2A, and MCP.
The tech giant plans to integrate UCP directly into Google Search's AI mode and Gemini apps, enabling users to complete purchases from U.S. retailers without leaving their research workflow. Shoppers easily check out using payment and shipping details saved in their Google Wallet or PayPal accounts. Additionally, Google gives brands the ability to offer targeted discounts to users while they seek AI-powered product recommendations, creating highly personalized purchasing opportunities.
Industry leaders praise the new protocol for its ability to introduce serendipity into digital commerce by matching specific customer interests with perfect products they might not have found otherwise. This announcement coincides with Shopify unveiling a similar shopping integration with Microsoft Copilot. To support these new AI-driven experiences, Google also provides merchants with updated data attributes in the Merchant Center to feature their items more effectively across AI search surfaces.