Google has unveiled a new open standard designed to transform how online shopping works in the age of artificial intelligence. Announced at the National Retail Federation (NRF) conference, the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) aims to enable seamless AI agent-based commerce across discovery, checkout, and post-purchase support.
The Universal Commerce Protocol has been developed in collaboration with major retail and e-commerce players, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart. Its core purpose is to allow AI agents to interact smoothly across the entire customer buying journey without requiring separate integrations for each stage of the process. Instead of relying on fragmented systems, businesses and AI agents can operate using a shared standard.
Google confirmed that UCP is designed to work alongside existing agent-focused protocols such as Agent Payments Protocol (A2P), Agent2Agent (A2A), and Model Context Protocol (MCP). Importantly, companies can choose specific protocol extensions based on their needs, offering flexibility for merchants of different sizes and industries.
In a major consumer-facing update, Google plans to integrate UCP into AI Mode in Search and the Gemini apps. This will allow U.S.-based shoppers to check out directly from eligible Google product listings while researching items. Payments will be handled through Google Pay, using shipping details stored in Google Wallet, with PayPal support coming soon.
Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke highlighted the potential of agentic commerce, emphasizing how AI agents excel at discovering products users may not have actively searched for. This kind of AI-driven serendipity, he said, represents the future of online shopping. Shopify also announced a similar shopping integration with Microsoft Copilot, signaling growing industry momentum.
Google is also enhancing its Merchant Center, allowing brands to surface richer product data within AI-powered search results. Merchants can now offer real-time discounts during AI-assisted product discovery, targeting users precisely when they’re seeking recommendations.
Additionally, Google is expanding support for AI-powered Business Agents, enabling merchants to embed conversational AI on their websites to answer customer questions. Brands such as Lowe’s, Michael’s, Poshmark, and Reebok are already using these tools. Google also introduced Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience (CX), a new suite designed to streamline shopping and customer service for retailers and restaurants.
As companies like Google, Amazon, Walmart, and OpenAI race to embed AI across commerce, early data suggests strong momentum. Adobe recently reported a 693.4% increase in traffic driven by generative AI during the holiday season, underscoring the growing influence of AI-powered shopping experiences.
The launch of UCP marks a significant step toward a more connected, intelligent, and frictionless future for digital commerce.
