Google is introducing a new open standard designed to support what it calls the next phase of digital retail: agentic commerce, where AI systems can research products, answer questions, and complete purchases on a shopper’s behalf.

In a blog post published this week, the company announced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) alongside a suite of AI-powered tools aimed at helping retailers connect with high-intent shoppers during AI-driven search and discovery moments. The move reflects Google’s broader strategy to embed commerce directly into conversational AI experiences across Search, AI Mode, and the Gemini app, while keeping retailers in control of transactions.

According to Google, agentic commerce refers to shopping experiences where AI agents can perform tasks for consumers—such as researching products, answering detailed questions, applying discounts, and completing checkout—without requiring users to manually navigate multiple websites or apps.

Google says this concept is quickly moving from experimentation to reality. In 2025, the company introduced early agentic tools for shoppers and launched the Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) to enable secure, agent-led payments. The new announcements build on that foundation, with an emphasis on interoperability and retailer participation.

At the center of the announcement is UCP, which Google describes as an open standard designed to work across the entire shopping lifecycle—from discovery and purchasing to post-purchase support.

Rather than requiring retailers and platforms to build custom integrations for every AI agent, UCP establishes a shared “language” that allows agents, commerce systems, and payment providers to communicate more easily. Google says this approach reduces technical friction while enabling agents to operate consistently across different consumer surfaces and retail environments.

UCP is designed to be compatible with existing industry protocols, including:

Google says the protocol is intended to work across retail verticals, rather than being limited to a single category or use case.

Google says UCP was co-developed with a group of major retailers and platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. More than 20 additional companies have endorsed the standard, spanning retail, payments, and commerce infrastructure.

These include Adyen, American Express, Best Buy, Flipkart, Macy’s, Mastercard, Stripe, The Home Depot, Visa, and Zalando, among others.

The breadth of participation suggests Google is positioning UCP as a neutral infrastructure layer rather than a proprietary Google-only system—an important signal in an ecosystem where retailers have historically been wary of platform lock-in.

One of the first real-world applications of UCP will appear in AI Mode in Google Search and in the Gemini app.

Google says UCP will soon power a new checkout experience on eligible product listings, allowing U.S. shoppers to complete purchases directly while researching products on Google. Rather than redirecting users to external sites, the agentic flow allows checkout to happen at the point of discovery.

Key details of the rollout include:

Google positions the feature as a way to reduce abandoned carts while preserving retailer ownership of the customer relationship.

In the coming months, Google plans to expand the experience globally and add features such as related product discovery, loyalty rewards, and more customized shopping journeys.

Google is also launching Business Agent, a new AI-powered chat experience that allows shoppers to interact directly with brands within Search.

Google describes Business Agent as a virtual sales associate that can answer product questions in a retailer’s brand voice, helping consumers during high-intent moments when they are deciding whether to buy.

The feature begins rolling out with retailers including Lowe’s, Michael’s, Poshmark, and Reebok. Eligible U.S. retailers can activate and customize Business Agent through Merchant Center.

Over time, Google says retailers will be able to:

To support AI-driven discovery, Google is expanding the types of data retailers can provide through Merchant Center.

The company announced dozens of new data attributes designed for conversational and AI-based shopping environments, including AI Mode, Gemini, and Business Agent. These attributes go beyond traditional keyword-based product feeds and can include:

Google says these attributes will complement existing feeds rather than replace them. The rollout will begin with a small group of retailers before expanding more broadly.

As part of its advertising strategy, Google is continuing to test ads in AI Mode and is now introducing Direct Offers, a new Google Ads pilot designed for AI-powered shopping moments.

Direct Offers allow advertisers to surface exclusive discounts—such as a limited-time special 20% discount—directly within AI Mode when Google’s systems determine a shopper is ready to buy.

Google described the concept with a scenario in which a user searches for a durable, easy-to-clean rug for a high-traffic dining room. While relevant products may already appear, Google says Direct Offers add an additional incentive by highlighting a timely discount when it is most likely to influence a purchase decision.

For the initial pilot, Direct Offers will focus on discounts. Google says future iterations will support other value-driven attributes, such as bundles and free shipping.

The company is already working with brands including Petco, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Samsonite, Rugs USA, and Shopify merchants to refine the feature.

Q: What problem is Google trying to solve with UCP?
A: Google is addressing fragmentation in AI-driven commerce. Without a shared standard, retailers and platforms would need separate integrations for every AI agent. UCP provides a common framework so agents can interact consistently across shopping, payments, and support.

Q: Does this mean Google is becoming the seller?
A: No. Google states that retailers remain the seller of record. UCP-enabled checkout is designed to reduce friction while allowing retailers to retain control over fulfillment, branding, and customer relationships.

Q: Where will shoppers actually see this in practice?
A: Initially, through AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app, where eligible U.S. retailers will allow shoppers to complete purchases directly during research moments.

Q: How is this different from traditional “buy now” buttons?
A: Agentic checkout is part of a broader AI-driven flow. Agents can answer questions, surface relevant offers, apply discounts, and complete checkout—rather than simply redirecting users to another site.

Q: Is this limited to Google’s ecosystem?
A: Google positions UCP as an open standard compatible with other protocols like A2A, AP2, and MCP, and says it is designed to work across platforms, retailers, and payment providers.

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol reflects a deeper change in how online shopping is organized. As AI tools become the primary way people search, compare, and decide what to buy, the interface of commerce is shifting away from websites and toward conversational systems that can act on a user’s behalf.

For shoppers, this could reduce friction at moments when intent is highest. Instead of jumping between tabs, forms, and carts, AI agents can answer questions, apply discounts, and complete purchases in a single flow. Convenience becomes less about faster checkout and more about fewer decisions.

For retailers, the opportunity is visibility at the earliest stages of intent—but the risk is dependency. Being discoverable inside AI-driven experiences may soon matter as much as ranking well in traditional search results. Protocols like UCP aim to lower technical barriers, but they also concentrate influence in the platforms that mediate discovery.

More broadly, Google’s move signals that commerce infrastructure is becoming AI-native. Standards, data feeds, and payment protocols—once invisible plumbing—now shape who gets seen, which offers surface, and how trust is established between humans and machines. By focusing on shared standards rather than closed systems, Google is positioning agentic commerce as infrastructure—something designed to work quietly in the background as AI becomes a more active participant in everyday buying decisions.

Google says its goal remains unchanged: helping retailers get discovered. What is changing is where—and how—that discovery now happens.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.