Google & Shopify UCP: How AI agents sell online

The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) revolutionizes AI interaction in online shopping by transforming AI agents from mere recommenders to active participants capable of browsing, selecting, and completing purchases on behalf of users. UCP provides a standardized communication layer that enables AI agents to directly engage with e-commerce systems and payment providers, fostering a seamless shopping experience without manual navigation or checkout processes. This protocol involves a handshake between AI agents and merchants through Business and Platform Profiles, which define supported services, capabilities, and payment methods. By utilizing a JSON-based structure, UCP allows for dynamic management of product discovery, cart operations, and secure payments through tokenized transactions, ultimately simplifying the shopping process to resemble a conversational interaction. Through a Node.js implementation, the protocol illustrates its practical application in managing checkout sessions and transitioning them into orders, showcasing how UCP enables a streamlined e-commerce experience in an AI-driven landscape.