SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ant International is collaborating with Google on the launch of its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard for agentic commerce. ...

Core Insights - Commerce endorses Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), aiming to enhance the shopping experience across AI ecosystems [1][5] - UCP establishes a common language for agents and systems, facilitating seamless interactions throughout the shopping journey [2][4] Group 1: UCP Overview - UCP is an open-source standard designed to streamline communication between various agents and systems, improving the shopping experience from discovery to post-purchase [2] - The protocol will enable new checkout features in AI Mode on Google Search and the Gemini app, allowing direct purchases from eligible retailers [3][8] Group 2: Industry Implications - The shift towards agent-driven commerce necessitates a unified set of standards to enhance scalability and efficiency in the industry [4] - Merchants must adapt to new consumer behaviors characterized by higher intent queries and the need for strategic visibility in answer engines [4] Group 3: Commerce's Role - Commerce leverages its Feedonomics-powered data enrichment layer to optimize product feeds, ensuring alignment with Google's schema and enhancing product visibility [5] - The endorsement of UCP builds on the existing partnership between Google and Commerce, positioning Commerce as a key player in the evolving landscape of AI-driven commerce [5]

Core Insights - Commerce endorses Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), aiming to create a common language for agents and systems throughout the shopping journey, enhancing interaction and reducing friction for merchants [1][2] Group 1: Industry Impact - The UCP will facilitate a new checkout feature in AI Mode on Google, allowing shoppers to purchase directly from eligible retailers while researching [3] - The shift in discovery from traditional search to conversational engines necessitates merchants to adapt their strategies to engage consumers effectively [4] Group 2: Collaboration and Technology - Commerce's partnership with Google leverages its Feedonomics-powered data enrichment layer to optimize product feeds, enhancing visibility and conversion rates within the Google ecosystem [5] - The UCP allows merchants to enable direct buying within Google's AI experiences, maintaining ownership of customer relationships and transaction data [7] Group 3: Future Outlook - The endorsement of UCP is seen as a foundational step for scaling agentic commerce, emphasizing the need for industry-wide standardization [4] - Commerce aims to empower businesses with an open, AI-driven ecosystem, enabling them to innovate and thrive in a rapidly changing market [6]

Core Insights - Google aims to establish the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) as an industry standard for AI tools in retail, facilitating a unified shopping experience from discovery to payment [1][6] - The e-commerce sector is becoming a competitive arena for generative AI, with Google competing against OpenAI, Perplexity, and Amazon for consumer engagement [2] Group 1: Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) - UCP is designed to allow retailers to utilize AI agents and systems without the need to develop their own tools, promoting efficiency and integration across various functions [1][6] - The protocol was co-developed with major companies like Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, and Target, and will support a new checkout feature in Google's AI Mode or Gemini App [6] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - OpenAI has introduced Instant Checkout, enabling purchases through ChatGPT, which may compete with UCP [3] - Perplexity is collaborating with PayPal to facilitate direct purchases within its chat platform, indicating a trend towards integrated shopping experiences [4] - Amazon's "Shop Direct" feature allows consumers to browse and purchase items from other brands directly on its platform, showcasing its competitive strategy [5] Group 3: Consumer Engagement and Advertising - Google has launched a feature called Business Agent, enabling shoppers to interact with brands in a conversational manner, reflecting a shift towards conversational commerce [7] - The company is testing "Direct Offers," allowing retailers to provide unique discounts based on user intent, enhancing the advertising ecosystem [8]

Core Insights - Google has introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) at the NRF 2026, establishing a common language for agents and systems to facilitate the entire purchasing process from discovery to post-purchase support [1][8] - UCP will serve as the foundation for a new Google checkout feature, enabling consumers to make purchases in AI Mode through the browser and the Gemini app, initially utilizing saved payment information from Google Wallet [2][8] - The protocol aims to simplify interactions among various agents, eliminating the need for unique connections for each agent, as stated by Google’s vice president [3] Development and Collaboration - UCP is the second open agentic commerce protocol developed by Google, following the Agentic Payments Protocol (AP2) launched the previous year, which created a payment-agnostic framework [4] - Retailers and e-commerce platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, and Target, contributed to the development of UCP, with endorsements from major payment processors like Adyen, American Express, Stripe, MasterCard, and Visa [5] Future Features and Merchant Relations - Retailers will continue to be the merchant of record, with Google planning to introduce additional features such as product recommendations, loyalty programs, and customized shopping experiences in the near future [6] - The collaboration between Google and Shopify aims to enhance sales, discoverability, and conversions by allowing merchants to supply their product data to Gemini and Shopify for off-site sales [7]