Google has announced the introduction of a Universal Commerce Protocol designed to support a new generation of AI-powered shopping experiences, marking a significant step in the evolution of digital commerce. The initiative aims to enable agentic shopping, where artificial intelligence systems can assist users across the entire shopping journey, from discovery and comparison to checkout and post-purchase engagement.
The Universal Commerce Protocol is positioned as an open framework that allows AI agents to interact more seamlessly with merchants, platforms, and service providers. By standardising how product data, pricing, availability, and transactional workflows are accessed, Google aims to reduce fragmentation in online commerce and make shopping experiences more intelligent and efficient.
Agentic shopping refers to the use of AI systems that can act on behalf of users with a degree of autonomy. These systems are designed to understand user preferences, evaluate options, and take action based on contextual signals. Google’s approach focuses on enabling these agents to operate across multiple retailers and services rather than being limited to individual platforms.
According to Google, the protocol is intended to work across a wide range of use cases, including product discovery, price comparison, inventory checks, order placement, and customer support. The framework allows AI tools to retrieve accurate and real-time information, helping users make informed purchasing decisions while reducing friction in the buying process.
The move reflects growing interest in applying generative AI and autonomous agents to commerce. As consumers increasingly expect personalised and conversational shopping experiences, technology companies are exploring ways to integrate AI more deeply into retail workflows. Google’s announcement suggests a shift from isolated AI features toward more coordinated and end-to-end solutions.
For merchants, the Universal Commerce Protocol offers a way to make their offerings more accessible to AI-driven shopping tools without building custom integrations for each platform. By adopting a standardised protocol, retailers can expose product and transaction data in a consistent format, potentially expanding reach and improving discoverability across digital channels.
Google has indicated that the protocol is designed to complement existing commerce infrastructure rather than replace it. Merchants can continue to use their current systems while enabling AI agents to interface with them through the protocol. This approach is intended to lower barriers to adoption and encourage broader participation across the retail ecosystem.
The introduction of the protocol also highlights Google’s broader strategy around agentic AI. In recent months, the company has been expanding its focus on AI systems that can perform tasks independently while remaining aligned with user intent. Shopping represents a natural extension of this strategy, given its complexity and high frequency in daily digital interactions.
Industry observers note that agentic shopping could change how consumers interact with brands and marketplaces. Instead of manually searching for products and navigating multiple websites, users could rely on AI assistants to manage routine purchases or surface relevant options based on budget, preferences, and timing.
At the same time, the shift raises questions about control, transparency, and trust. AI agents making purchasing decisions on behalf of users must operate within clear boundaries to ensure accuracy and alignment with user expectations. Google has emphasised that human oversight remains central, with users retaining the final say over transactions.
The Universal Commerce Protocol also has implications for marketing and advertising. As AI agents become intermediaries between consumers and brands, marketers may need to rethink how they influence purchase decisions. Visibility within AI-driven shopping flows could depend more on data quality, relevance, and trust signals than on traditional advertising placements.
For martech platforms, the development signals a convergence between commerce technology and AI infrastructure. Tools that help brands optimise product data, manage pricing, and personalise experiences could play a key role in supporting agentic shopping ecosystems.
The protocol arrives amid intensifying competition among technology companies to define the future of AI-enabled commerce. Several players are exploring conversational shopping, recommendation engines, and automated checkout experiences. Google’s emphasis on an open protocol suggests an effort to position itself as a foundational layer rather than a closed marketplace.
Retailers and brands will be watching closely to see how the protocol is adopted and how it affects traffic, conversion, and customer relationships. The ability of AI agents to act across multiple merchants could reduce dependency on individual platforms while increasing the importance of interoperability.
Google has not provided a specific timeline for widespread rollout but has indicated that the protocol will be developed in collaboration with partners across the commerce ecosystem. Early implementations are expected to focus on core shopping functions before expanding into more advanced use cases.
As agentic AI continues to mature, its role in commerce is likely to grow. The Universal Commerce Protocol represents an attempt to create shared infrastructure that supports this shift while balancing innovation with user control.
The announcement underscores a broader transformation in how digital commerce is designed and delivered. Rather than focusing solely on user interfaces, companies are increasingly investing in underlying systems that enable intelligence and automation.
For consumers, the promise of agentic shopping lies in convenience and relevance. For businesses, it presents both opportunities and challenges as the path to purchase becomes more mediated by AI. Google’s move suggests that the next phase of e-commerce will be shaped not just by platforms and apps, but by the agents that operate across them.