Google has introduced a new open standard designed to help AI tools work seamlessly across the online shopping journey, connecting retailers with shoppers who are ready to make a purchase. The announcement was made Sunday, Jan. 11, at the National Retail Federation's annual conference in New York.
The protocol, known as the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), is designed to enable different AI agents to communicate with retailers and payment systems using a shared system, rather than establishing custom technical connections for each platform. It covers product discovery, purchasing and post-purchase support, according to Google.
Google said it co-developed the standard with a group of major e-commerce platforms and retailers, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target and Walmart. More than 20 additional brands and payment companies, such as Visa, Mastercard and Stripe have also endorsed the protocol.
Read also: My Jaw Dropped When Google Told Me How Its New AI Shopping Feature Handles Privacy
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How the protocol is supposed to work
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The UCP is designed to serve as a common language for various aspects of the shopping experience.
Instead of requiring separate integrations for each AI system and retailer, UCP provides a baseline set of rules and formats that everyone can adopt and use. It's built to be compatible with other emerging standards for AI agents and payments.
Google plans to use the standard to support a new checkout feature in AI Mode in Search and its Gemini app, enabling shoppers to complete purchases directly with participating merchants through these AI interfaces. Eligible US retailers can offer checkout using payment details saved in Google Wallet and Google Pay, with support for PayPal coming later.
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