Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is an open-source standard designed to enable AI agents to complete full commerce transactions — from product discovery through checkout and post-purchase support — without users having to leave conversational interfaces, a capability that’s seen as key to the emerging agentic commerce era where AI systems can act on users’ behalf. Developed with partners like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart and backed by more than 20 ecosystem players including major payment firms, UCP creates a shared “commerce language” that lets disparate systems, retailers, and AI agents interact seamlessly so purchases can happen inside tools like Google Search AI Mode and Gemini. By reducing custom integrations and friction, the protocol aims to make AI-driven buying smoother and more efficient while letting merchants retain control as the seller of record.
