Google Launches Universal Commerce Protocol to Standardize AI-Driven Shopping

In early January 2026, Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open-source standard designed to enable "agentic commerce." This initiative aims to bridge the gap between AI assistants and retail systems, creating a unified technical language that allows AI agents to handle the shopping journey from product discovery to checkout.

A Unified Language for the Retail Industry

The UCP was co-developed with a broad coalition of industry leaders, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. Instead of requiring custom integrations for every AI platform, the protocol provides a standardized way for merchants to connect their backends to conversational AI surfaces.

Key technical pillars of the protocol include:

• Real-Time Accuracy: AI agents can query live inventory, dynamic pricing, and delivery windows directly from the retailer's database.
• Merchant Ownership: Even when a purchase is initiated through an AI interface, the retailer remains the Merchant of Record, maintaining the direct relationship with the customer and handling fulfillment.

Native Checkout in AI Mode

A primary application of the UCP is the new Native Checkout feature rolling out in the Gemini app and "AI Mode" in Google Search for eligible U.S. product listings.

• Streamlined Transactions: Users can initiate a purchase directly within the conversational interface using payment and shipping details saved in Google Wallet.
• Expanding Payment Options: While the initial launch focuses on Google Wallet, support for PayPal is expected in the coming months.

Branded "Business Agents" and Direct Offers

Google also launched new tools to help retailers engage with shoppers in a more personalized way:

• Business Agent: This branded virtual sales associate allows retailers to communicate with shoppers in their own brand voice directly within Google’s AI surfaces. Current partners include Lowe’s, Michaels, Poshmark, and Reebok.
• Direct Offers: A new ads pilot in AI Mode allows retailers to surface exclusive, contextual discounts—such as "free shipping" or "buy one, get one"—when the AI identifies high purchase intent during a conversation.

Future Roadmap

While the initial rollout is focused on the United States, Google and its partners have outlined a roadmap for the second half of 2026:

• Global Expansion: Plans to bring UCP-powered shopping features to international markets.
• Advanced Capabilities: Future updates are slated to include loyalty reward integration and more complex, multi-item transactions.
• Custom AI Training: Retailers will eventually be able to train their own Business Agents on proprietary data and insights to provide more specialized advice.