On Tuesday, Google announced a new open protocol for purchases launched by an automated software program (automated software program) that allows users to shop and make decisions on their behalf, with support from over 60 merchants and financial institutions. Called the Agent Payment Protocol (AP2), the system is intended to be interoperable between AI platforms, payment systems and vendors, providing a traceable paper trail for each transaction.
In a post announcing the protocol, Google executives highlighted their commitment to openness. “We have evolved this protocol in an open, collaborative process through standards bodies, and are writing Stavan Parikh and Rao Surapaneni, VPS of Google and Google Cloud, inviting the entire payments and technology community.
The full specifications for AP2 were posted on GitHub along with the announcement.
This protocol is built for a future in which AI agents routinely shop products on behalf of their customers and engage in complex, real-time interactions with retailer AI agents. One example of a Google post imagines chatbot users asking agents to shop for a bike trip.
In another example, users seek trips and accommodation for weekend getaways, offering only dates, locations and budgets. “Agents can interact with agents from both airlines and hotels, as well as online travel agents and booking platforms,” the post explains.
Enabling this type of transaction is complicated from a technical and social perspective. With AP2, the agent must register two separate approvals before making a purchase. First, you say “power of attorney of intent” (basically telling AI “looking for a polka dot tie”). This allows agents to search for specific items and negotiate with the seller. Next, a “cartmandate” gives you final approval for your purchase after a particular item is found.
The protocol also includes clauses for fully automated purchases, allowing agents to automatically generate cartmandates once an item is found. These situations require a more detailed power of attorney of intent, specifying price restrictions, timing, and other engagement rules. In either case, the goal is to maintain an auditable trail that can be reconsidered in the case of fraud.
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In collaboration with Cryptocurrency Outfits Coinbase, Metamask and The Ethereum Foundation, Google has also created an extension that integrates the cryptocurrency-oriented X402 protocol and allows for AI-driven purchases from crypto wallets.
Many other high-tech companies are working on their own agent purchasing systems. Most confused, you can purchase with PRO service in the Agent Browser. Payment provider Stripe is not as comprehensive as AP2, but it also creates software tools for agent purchases on its platform.
Like other protocols, the impact of AP2 depends on support from other players in the ecosystem, particularly the developer’s building agent purchasing system. However, AP2 has already gained support from major financial providers such as MasterCard, American Express and PayPal, giving the protocol a critical immediate footprint.
