Google has launched the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) — an open standard designed to let AI agents handle the entire online shopping process, from product discovery to checkout and payment — directly within AI interfaces like Search’s AI Mode and the Gemini app. This means that instead of manually switching between retailer sites to browse, compare, and buy, a user could have an AI autonomously complete those steps on their behalf, including checkout. UCP was developed with major partners such as Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart to ensure broad interoperability across platforms and retailers, and aims to make “agentic commerce” — where AI does actual purchasing work — a reality rather than a concept. The protocol also sets the stage for more seamless AI-mediated transactions and could reduce friction in online shopping by integrating discovery, payment, and post-purchase support under a common standard.
