At Google I/O, three new features for Google Shopping were announced. The updates, all ready to improve the AI shopping experience, not only bridge the gap across retailers but also put parameters in so AI agents don't go rogue.
With the new Universal Cart, Google provides important info on how to save the most on each purchase. Credit: Google
Perhaps the most exciting feature launching on Google Shopping is Universal Cart coming across Google platforms, including Gemini, YouTube, and Gmail. The universal shopping cart collects all of the products you add to a cart, whether that be on Target or Amazon, and adds them to your universal Google cart, so you can see everything you're vying for in one spot.
"The moment you add a product, the cart goes to work for you in the background. It can do things like find deals, price drops, give you insights on price history, and can even alert when something comes back in stock. Now, these are all things that we've gotten used to doing ourselves, but the cart can just do it in the background," said Vidhya Srinivasan, VP/CM, Google Ads and Commerce.
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Universal Cart is going to Google and Gemini in the US this summer. Gmail and YouTube support will follow.
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Everything you add to your online shopping cart — across retailers — now appears in one cart on Google. Credit: Google
Also announced at Google I/O is Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), allowing AI agents to purchase products, order goods, and reserve hotels for users. Current partners for Google's UCP include eShopify, Amazon, Walmart, Stripe, Salesforce, and Meta. This makes it possible for AI agents to engage with retailers on these platforms to make bookings rather than just planning a trip or suggesting products. UCP will be available soon in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
But with the power being given to AI agents to book and purchase on behalf of users, Google has updated its parameters, launching too. Agent Payments Protocol 2 (AP2) lets users place limits on how much and what an AI agent can purchase. Even with the new protocol in place, mistakes may happen, which is why AP2 also creates a permanent paper trail in the case of returns or order issues.
The new Google Shopping features follow the announcements made at last year's I/O, which included Google's 'Try it on' feature.
Looking for more Google I/O announcements? Follow the Mashable Google I/O live blog to see all of the latest news on Gemini, Chrome, and Android.