- Google says eligible US shoppers can now browse and buy products with AI
- The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is a Google initiative, supported by major retailers
- Businesses can target their customers with ads designed for AI buyers
Google has announced plans to take the stress out of online shopping with a new AI e-commerce suite that will handle product research, shopping, and even post-purchase support.
The company’s vice president and general manager of advertising and commerce, Vidhya Srinivasan, explained in a blog post that the new tools are based on the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) of 2025, designed to offer secure payments within the limits of agent AI.
The system is based on the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), developed jointly by Google and several major retail partners such as Shopify, Etsy and Wayfair, so that agents and systems can interact in a “common language.”
Designed to work across multiple industries and platforms, it is also supported by payment companies such as Adyen, Amex, Mastercard, Visa and Stripe; However, as of launch, we’re told it will only be available to eligible US retailers.
The front-end experience revolves around the Gemini app or AI mode within Google Search. Since AI retains information, Google’s new shopping assistant will prepopulate the checkout page and then store shipping information in Google Wallet.
Along with further global expansion, the company is also working on a more complete shopping experience, such as integrating loyalty rewards.
At the same time, Google is launching a standalone Business Agent that companies can use as their own virtual sales assistants to answer questions about their products. With this tool activated and customized from Merchant Center, companies can train the agent on their data, access customer information, and promote related products.
A new Google Ads pilot, Direct Offers, will also target buyers with exclusive offers that might only be available to buyers using AI mode.
However, Google is not without competition. OpenAI already launched similar agent shopping experiences within ChatGPT, and Microsoft launched a shopping experience within Copilot chats with select retailers just days before Google’s announcement.
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