Online shopping is about to become a conversation after Google officially unveiled its new “universal language“ for digital commerce – Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). This new open standard aims to end the tedious switching between dozens of tabs and apps, allowing users to complete purchases directly in the Gemini chatbot dialog box or in the search engine's new AI mode. Developed in close collaboration with giants such as Shopify, Walmart and Target, the protocol promises to transform artificial intelligence from a simple consultant to a full-fledged sales agent.
The main innovation here is the elimination of the so-called “swipe“ at checkout. Until now, chatbots could only recommend products, but finalizing the order required visiting an external site and re-entering data. With UCP, users in the US will now be able to use their saved addresses and payment methods from Google Wallet for lightning-fast transactions without leaving the chat. In the near future, support for PayPal will be added to the ecosystem, which will further expand the scope of the service.
But Google's ambitions do not stop at the “Buy“ button. The protocol is designed to serve the entire order lifecycle – from checking availability in real time and applying personalized discounts to after-sales service. This means that users will be able to track their shipments or organize returns of goods with a simple command in the chat, turning artificial intelligence into their personal concierge.
For businesses, Google has also launched a specialized tool Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience. It allows merchants and restaurants to implement their own “branded agents“ who speak with the voice of the brand and know the specifics of the products in detail. The first data from the market is impressive – according to Adobe, generative AI tools have increased traffic to retail outlets with a staggering 700% during the last holiday season, suggesting that the era of “agent commerce“ is here.
While competitors like Microsoft and Shopify are also testing similar integrations through the Copilot platform, Google's move with the open UCP standard looks like an attempt to establish global dominance. By unifying search, payment, and service into one seamless process, the tech giant is not only changing the way we shop, but also laying the foundation for a market that McKinsey analysts predict could reach a value of $5 trillion by 2030.