At Google I/O on Tuesday, Google introduced Universal Cart, an agent hub for managing your shopping in one place. The tech giant also announced updates to its Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), hinting that it will bring the technology to Google products in the coming months, allowing users to authorize agents to make payments on their behalf.
The announcement signals Google’s efforts to transform its AI assistant from a passive recommendation tool to an active participant in online commerce. By launching a centralized shopping system and building an infrastructure that allows software agents to complete purchases autonomously, the company is in a position to gain more control over the entire shopping journey and, potentially, the relationship between consumers and the merchants who capture their attention.
Universal Cart lets users add products they’re considering from anywhere on Google, while browsing searches, chatting with Gemini, watching YouTube, and reading Gmail. Once an item is added, Universal Cart tracks transactions, monitors price drops, displays price history insights, and alerts users when an item is back in stock.
This feature is built on what we know well: most people shop across multiple devices, at multiple retailers, and over many days.
The cart also uses AI to help shoppers make better decisions. For example, if you’re building your first custom PC, you can add parts from multiple vendors to one cart. Google may also flag compatibility issues, such as a processor that doesn’t work with your selected motherboard, and suggest alternatives.
Because this feature is built on top of Google Wallet, it can also help you uncover hidden savings and earn more points for frequent travelers and those making the most of their offers.
Thanks to Google’s open standard Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), users can checkout directly to participating merchants through Google, or route items to merchant sites to complete their purchases there.
Universal Cart is rolling out in the U.S. today and will be coming to the Gemini app this summer, followed by YouTube and Gmail, Google said.
Google also announced that UCP will expand to more categories, including hotels and local food delivery services. The UCP-powered experience will expand beyond the US to Canada and Australia in the coming months, and then to the UK.
A more significant announcement for the commerce industry may be Google’s protocol AP2, which is designed to allow AI agents to securely make payments on behalf of users within defined limits. At I/O, Google detailed the guardrails users can set, including specifying the brands and products they want and spending limits. Once these conditions are met, the agent automatically makes the purchase.
Google has announced that it will bring AP2 to its products in the coming months. The integration will give Google direct visibility into what consumers discover, consider, and ultimately purchase, and retailers and payment processors will keep an eye on the extent of their commercial influence.
Under the hood, AP2 creates a transparent and verifiable link between users, merchants, and payment processors, encrypting and protecting the entire user data. The protocol also includes a tamper-proof digital record that ensures agents are always acting on your behalf, and a persistent audit trail that both buyers and sellers can refer to in the event of returns or disputes.
Check out the rest of the important news from Google IO 2026
As you know, Google search is dead
Google updates Gemini app to support ChatGPT and Claude
Google launches Gemini Spark, a 24/7 agent assistant integrated with Gmail
How to use Google’s new information agent
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