Google to embed AI shopping features in multiple services with Universal Cart

Google LLC is rolling out an artificial intelligence tool called Universal Cart that will make it easier for consumers to shop online. 

The tool made its debut today at the company’s Google I/O 2026 event. The Alphabet Inc. unit also introduced new foundation models, an AI agent for the consumer market and other product updates.

Universal Cart will be accessible in Google Search, the Gemini app, YouTube and Gmail. Google says that the tool can analyze a product description provided by the user and automatically find relevant e-commerce listings. From there, it compares the listings to find the most favorable offer.

Universal Cart displays each item’s price history to help users determine whether a discount lives up to the promise. If a product is not in stock, consumers can ask the tool to monitor the e-commerce listing and alert them when the retailer receives a new shipment.

Universal Cart can also perform more advanced tasks. According to Google, the tool determines when the items in an e-commerce shopping cart don’t necessarily align with user intent. For example, it could review a set of personal computer parts and identify components that may not be compatible with one another.  

The tool is powered by Google’s Gemini series of large language models. The company debuted the two newest additions to the lineup, Gemini 3.5 Flash and Gemini Omni, today at Google I/O. The Alphabet unit describes the former model as its best algorithm for AI agent use cases. Gemini Omni, meanwhile, is optimized for multimedia processing tasks such as video editing.

Universal Cart also integrates with several other Google products. It uses payment details stored in Google Wallet to expedite the checkout workflow and processes purchases with Google Pay.

According to the search giant, some online merchants will enable users to complete purchases without leaving the Google Pay interface. The company says that the workflow involves only a few clicks. In other cases, Universal Cart will automatically sync orders to the shopping cart of a third-party online store. 

The tool is powered by a technology called the Universal Commerce Protocol, or UCP, that Google debuted in January. The company developed it in collaboration with several large retailers, Stripe Inc. and other market players. UCP enables AI services to automate online shopping tasks such as checking whether an online store carries a particular item.

Implementing the automation use cases that UCP supports historically required developers to build custom integrations with online stores. According to Google, the technology removes that requirement. It does so by enabling merchants to make key features of their online stores accessible to AI applications via a standardized interface.

Universal Cart will become available to US users this summer in Google Search and the Gemini App. Gmail and YouTube support will follow suit shortly thereafter. In the longer term, Google plans to add a technology called AP2 to several of its consumer services. The software enables AI agents to autonomously make purchases based on user-provided instructions.

Image: Google