tech
January 12, 2026
Google escalates AI shopping war
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TL;DR
- Google is launching a new open-source standard called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) to facilitate AI-powered shopping.
- UCP was developed in partnership with major retailers such as Shopify, Walmart, and Target, as well as payment giants like Visa and Mastercard.
- The protocol will enable a direct checkout feature on Gemini and Google Search, allowing users to make purchases without leaving the AI tools.
- Google is also introducing a business agent on Search for shoppers to directly chat with brands' virtual assistants.
- This move positions Google to compete with other AI platforms offering similar shopping functionalities.
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