Retail innovation is moving faster than ever, and agentic commerce—where AI agents act on behalf of shoppers—is quickly becoming a reality. Google is deepening its commitment to this future by introducing new open standards and AI-driven tools designed to simplify shopping, strengthen retailer–customer relationships, and unlock new growth opportunities across the retail ecosystem.
Introducing the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)
At the center of this transformation is the launch of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard created to support agentic commerce across the full shopping journey—from discovery and purchase to post-sale support.
UCP establishes a shared language that allows AI agents, retailers, platforms, and payment providers to work seamlessly together. Instead of building separate integrations for each agent or system, UCP enables interoperability at scale. The protocol is compatible with existing industry frameworks such as Agent2Agent (A2A), Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), and Model Context Protocol (MCP), making it flexible across industries and regions.
UCP has been co-developed with major retail and commerce leaders including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart, and is supported by more than 20 companies across payments, marketplaces, and retail—among them Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, Flipkart, American Express, and Zalando.
AI-Powered Checkout Comes to Google Surfaces
UCP will soon enable a new native checkout experience on eligible Google product listings across AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app. Shoppers in the U.S. will be able to complete purchases while researching products—without leaving the conversation.
Security and convenience are core to the experience. Customers can check out using Google Pay with saved payment and shipping details from Google Wallet, with PayPal support coming soon. Retailers remain the seller of record and can customize how the checkout experience works for their business, helping reduce cart abandonment and capture intent-driven sales.
Google plans to expand this capability globally and add features such as related product discovery, loyalty rewards, and tailored shopping experiences in the months ahead.
Business Agent: Branded AI Conversations on Search
Google is also rolling out Business Agent, a branded AI assistant that allows shoppers to chat directly with retailers on Google Search. Designed to act like a virtual sales associate, Business Agent answers product questions in a brand’s own voice and supports customers at critical decision-making moments.
The feature launches with retailers including Lowe’s, Michael’s, Poshmark, and Reebok. Eligible U.S. merchants can activate and customize their agent through Merchant Center, with future enhancements allowing brands to train agents on their own data, access customer insights, share personalized offers, and even enable direct agent-led purchases.
Optimizing Discovery in the Conversational Commerce Era
As shopping behavior shifts from keywords to conversations, Google is expanding how retailers are discovered. New Merchant Center data attributes are being introduced to improve visibility across AI Mode, Gemini, and Business Agent.
These attributes go beyond traditional product feeds, incorporating information such as answers to common customer questions, compatible accessories, and alternative product suggestions. The rollout begins with a select group of retailers and will expand over time.
Direct Offers: Smarter Ads for AI-Driven Shopping
To help retailers stand out as AI becomes central to product discovery, Google is introducing Direct Offers, a new Google Ads pilot within AI Mode. This feature allows advertisers to present exclusive, purchase-ready incentives—such as limited-time discounts—directly at the moment shoppers are ready to buy.
Google’s AI determines when an offer is most relevant, helping shoppers find better value while enabling retailers to close sales more effectively. The pilot initially focuses on discounts, with plans to expand into bundled offers, free shipping, and other value-driven incentives. Brands including Petco, Samsonite, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Shopify merchants are already participating.
Building the Future of AI-Powered Retail
Google’s long-standing partnership with retailers is entering a new chapter—one where AI supports every step of the customer journey, from discovery and decision-making to service and fulfillment.
With tools like the Shopping Graph—now exceeding 50 billion product listings refreshed in real time—and the integration of AI Mode and Gemini, Google aims to make shopping more intuitive and conversational. The introduction of UCP lays the foundation for a scalable, open agentic commerce ecosystem where retailers retain ownership of customer relationships while benefiting from AI-driven efficiency.
To support businesses internally, Google is also launching Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, a platform built specifically for agentic retail. It unifies search, commerce, and customer service into a single experience, powering everything from shopping assistants to in-store support agents. Early adopters such as The Home Depot and McDonald’s are already using these tools to enhance customer engagement.
A Collaborative Path Forward
Google’s vision for retail is rooted in collaboration—creating an ecosystem where innovation benefits retailers, platforms, and consumers alike. As AI reshapes how people shop, open standards like UCP and intelligent agents are set to redefine commerce at a global scale.
The future of shopping will be powered by AI—and built together.
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