Google introduces Universal Cart and enhances AP2 at I/O 2026.

      Google recently introduced Universal Cart at I/O 2026, an AI-driven shopping platform that enables users to compile products from its various services, including Search, Gemini, YouTube, and Gmail, into a single, ongoing cart. This feature, launching in the US today, marks Google's most ambitious effort to establish itself as a key player in online commerce.

      Universal Cart offers more than just product storage. Utilizing Gemini's capabilities, it keeps track of price drops, shows price history, issues re-stock notifications, and performs AI compatibility checks. A demonstration illustrated how users building custom PCs could add parts from different retailers and receive alerts about any incompatibilities between selected components, along with alternative recommendations.

      The functionality is based on the existing infrastructure of Google Wallet for managing rewards and loyalty points and integrates with the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a standard introduced by Google in January 2026. UCP facilitates a standardized language for AI-enabled commerce, allowing for direct checkouts through Google or smooth transitions to a retailer's site. An update in March 2026 enhanced features like cart management, real-time catalog searches, and identity linking to help shoppers maintain loyalty benefits when purchasing through Google's platforms. Launch partners include brands like Nike, Sephora, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, Wayfair, and Shopify merchants like Fenty and Steve Madden.

      The timing is crucial as major Chinese tech companies have already implemented large-scale AI shopping agents, with Alibaba’s Qwen assistant reaching 300 million monthly active users on Taobao. Amazon has integrated Alexa within its search functionality, combining the Rufus chatbot and Alexa+ assistant for a cohesive shopping experience. Google appears to be racing to keep up in the agentic commerce realm, which McKinsey anticipates could be a $5 trillion market by 2030. The implications are significant, as controlling the primary AI shopping interface allows for substantial influence over consumer spending.

      Along with Universal Cart, Google enhanced its Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), initially unveiled in September 2025 and supported by over 60 partners, including PayPal, Mastercard, and American Express. AP2 enables AI agents to conduct transactions within specified limits using digitally signed contracts known as “Mandates,” which ensure an unalterable audit trail for each transaction. The most recent release, version 0.2.0, rolled out in April 2026, introduced features allowing agents to autonomously purchase items like limited-release tickets as soon as they become available. Google has contributed AP2 to the FIDO Alliance, aiming to establish it as a standard across the industry rather than a proprietary system.

      This broader push into agentic commerce is not limited to the US. UCP-based checkout solutions are also being expanded to Canada and Australia, with plans for the UK to follow. Google aims to extend this protocol to further sectors, including hotel reservations, local food deliveries, and YouTube in the US.

      Universal Cart is set to be available on the Gemini app this summer, with integrations for YouTube and Gmail arriving afterward. For consumers, the allure lies in convenience: a single cart with continuous deal tracking and AI assistance for proactive shopping. For Google, the strategy is more calculated; by serving as the intermediary among consumers, merchants, and payment services, it can gather data and exert influence at every stage of the purchasing process.

      Retailers' views on this development may hinge on the amount of traffic Google directs to them and the associated costs. Some have reported traffic drops of up to 30% as users pivot from traditional search methods to AI-driven queries. Google's Universal Cart could either accelerate this shift or, if its open protocols gain traction, assist merchants in reaching customers across various platforms.