"Not surprisingly, Google is also looking to make some cash from purchases made via its Gemini chatbot. The company just launched the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard intended to make it easier for companies to connect their inventory to Google's AI, allowing you to browse and purchase without leaving Gemini or AI Mode. UCP was built in collaboration with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart and is endorsed by 20 others, including American Express, Best Buy, Flipkart, Macy's, Mastercard, Stripe, The Home Depot, and Visa, Google says."
"To start things off, UCP will enable a new checkout feature within Gemini and AI Mode in Search. In an early demo, Google showed that once Gemini returns results for a product query, selecting one from a UCP-supported retailer opens a details page with "Buy" or "Visit website" options. Choosing Buy pulls payment details from Google Pay and shipping info from Google Wallet. Support for payment via PayPal is also in the works."
"Similar checkout features have already launched on Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Copilot. When OpenAI first rolled out app suggestions for its retail partners, many ChatGPT users thought they were ads and voiced their displeasure. OpenAI then stopped inserting them into ChatGPT chats. Last month, Google shot down reports that it would bring ads to Gemini in 2026, with a VP claiming the reports were based on "uninformed, anonymous sources who are making inaccurate claims." It's been testing them in AI Mode, however."
Google launched the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard to connect retailers' inventory to Gemini and AI Mode for in-chat browsing and purchases. UCP partners include Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, Walmart, and endorsements from major retailers and payment firms. UCP enables a checkout flow in Gemini and AI Mode that opens product details with Buy or Visit website options, pulling payment from Google Pay and shipping from Google Wallet, with PayPal support planned. Google will add Direct Offers for retailer discounts and provide Business Agent chatbots to answer product questions.
Read at PCMAG
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