With Microsoft announcing Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents recently, now Google doesn’t want to stay behind. The company just unveiled Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) and Business Agent, bringing new AI shopping features.
UCP provides a shared framework for seamless agent-based shopping and will soon support direct checkout on eligible Google product listings in AI Mode and the Gemini app. Shoppers can complete purchases using saved payment details without leaving the search experience. Retailers stay the seller of record and can tailor the setup to their needs.
Advertisers can also activate Business Agent, a branded AI-powered chat assistant in Search. It enables real-time product Q&A, personalized recommendations, and future support for direct purchases, all managed from Google Merchant Center.
Also in testing: Direct Offers, labeled as Sponsored deal in AI Mode. Advertisers can promote time-sensitive discounts like 20% off, surfaced contextually when shoppers show high purchase intent.
Google is also adding new product attributes to Merchant Center, making listings more discoverable in conversational experiences across AI surfaces.
Read the official announcement here: New tech and tools for retailers to succeed in an agentic shopping era.