Google AI has released the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open-source standard that enables AI agents to handle end-to-end commerce transactions within a single conversation. UCP uses a manifest-based model where agents discover merchant capabilities through standardized profiles and negotiate extensions like discounts or fulfillment. The protocol supports multiple transports including REST, Model Context Protocol, and Agent-to-Agent communication, while integrating with the Agent Payments Protocol to ensure cryptographic proof of user consent. This standardization eliminates the need for custom retail integrations, allowing platforms to focus on user experience rather than rebuilding checkout logic for each merchant.
