On January 12, 2026, at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Convention held in the United States, Google formally unveiled the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). This move marks the establishment of a standardized technical framework for the 'agent-based commerce' era. The protocol empowers AI assistants to seamlessly handle the entire shopping process—spanning product discovery, payment, and order processing—all within a chat interface. This innovation eliminates the need for users to switch between different pages or applications.

At the heart of UCP lies a fundamental principle: AI should function exclusively as the user's 'agent operator,' devoid of any involvement in determining transaction entities. Under this framework, user identities, payment details, customer relationships, and after-sales services remain firmly under the control of merchants. This approach not only safeguards merchant rights but also ensures robust user privacy protection.

The development of UCP was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by Google in partnership with retail behemoths such as Shopify, Etsy, Target, and Walmart, along with leading payment institutions like Mastercard and Visa. The protocol is designed to be open and neutral, inviting adoption by any AI platform or retailer seeking to enhance their shopping experience.

The initial phase of UCP's rollout will commence in the United States. Here, users will be able to leverage their pre-saved payment information to effortlessly complete purchases within Google's AI-powered search mode and the Gemini app. Moreover, they will have access to personalized offers from merchants, further enriching their shopping journey.