Google Adds Shopping to Gemini and AI Search
▼ Summary
– Google announced a new open-source standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), developed with major retailers like Shopify and Walmart, to streamline communication between AI agents and online shopping systems.
– The UCP will power a new checkout feature on Google Search and Gemini, allowing direct purchases and aligning with similar features from competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
– Google aims for UCP to become a widely adopted industry standard in the competitive AI shopping ecosystem, competing with OpenAI’s similar Agentic Commerce Protocol.
– Over 20 companies, including payment giants like Visa and retailers like Best Buy, have already endorsed the UCP standard, though many also partner with other AI firms.
– Google is also launching a business agent for Search, enabling shoppers to chat directly with brand-specific virtual assistants from retailers like Lowe’s and Reebok.
Google is integrating shopping capabilities directly into its Gemini AI and Search platforms, marking a significant push into the AI-powered commerce arena. This strategic move introduces a new open-source standard developed with major retail partners, aiming to streamline how consumers discover and purchase products using artificial intelligence. The initiative places Google in direct competition with other tech giants who are also racing to define the future of automated, conversational shopping.
At a major retail industry event, Google revealed its collaboration with companies like Shopify, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, and Etsy to create the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). This framework is designed to establish a common language for communication between AI agents and retailer systems. It aims to cover the entire customer journey, from initial product discovery through to payment processing and post-purchase support. By creating this shared protocol, Google intends to simplify the backend complexity that currently exists when AI tools interact with diverse e-commerce platforms.
A key consumer-facing outcome of this effort will be a new checkout feature within Google Search and Gemini. This functionality is intended to let users complete purchases directly through the AI interface, eliminating the need to navigate to separate apps or websites. This brings Google’s offerings in line with features already available through competitors like Microsoft Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The broader goal for Google is widespread adoption of UCP across the retail ecosystem, providing a ready-made, open-source solution for companies rather than forcing each one to build proprietary systems for AI integration.
The protocol is positioned to compete with similar open-source standards, such as the Agentic Commerce Protocol recently introduced by OpenAI. To bolster its adoption, Google has already secured support from over twenty influential companies. This coalition includes payment leaders like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, and Stripe, alongside major retailers such as The Home Depot, Macy’s, Best Buy, and Kroger. Notably, Ant Group, affiliated with Alibaba, has also endorsed UCP. Many of these partners maintain relationships with multiple AI platforms, reflecting a competitive landscape where retailers are hedging their bets on the most effective technology.
Beyond the protocol and checkout button, Google announced the launch of a business agent feature for Search. This will enable shoppers to engage in direct conversations with virtual assistants from participating brands. These AI agents will be designed to answer product questions while mimicking the brand’s unique voice and tone. Early adopters of this conversational shopping tool include brands like Lowe’s, Michael’s, Poshmark, and Reebok.
These developments arrive as major corporations place substantial bets on AI-driven commerce, with companies like Amazon embedding similar technology throughout the shopping experience. While the practical utility and reliability of these AI shopping assistants are still being proven, early user experiences have sometimes been buggy, industry leaders are convinced of their transformative potential. Google’s CEO has stated that these efforts are laying the essential groundwork for a future where AI agents play a central and routine role in how consumers shop.
(Source: The Verge)
