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A IA agora vende por você? Entenda o que está por trás do UCP do Google
BranddiIP Team ·
The UCP was officially announced onJanuary 11, 2026, during the National Retail Federation (NRF) Conference, one of the largest and most influential global retail events. Since then, the topic has gained attention from brands, platforms and experts due to the changes it causes in digital commerce.
We are talking about a turning point in the entry point of the purchasing journey, where artificial intelligence stops just guiding decisions and starts actively intermediating sales.
To understand what this means in practice and how it directly impacts brands, channels and commercial control, check out the guide below.
What it is UCP?
The Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is a new open standard created by Google to allow artificial intelligence agents to conduct a user's entire purchasing journey (from product discovery to checkout and after-sales) in an integrated way and without each agent needing to build separate integrations with each store.
Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) logo. Source:Google for Developers
UCP was released as an open standard co-developed with major companies such as Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target and Walmart, as well as more than 20 global partners including Visa, Mastercard, Stripe and PayPal.
Source: Google Cloud
UCP is not an isolated movement by Google. Companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, Amazon, and even startups like Perplexity are also developing their own AI agent solutions that can handle purchases and transactions seamlessly. from the merchant or marketplace.
With UCP, this dynamic is changing: consumers can complete purchases directly on AI surfaces, such as AI Mode in Google Search or within the Gemini app, without ever needing to open the merchant's website.
Universal Commerce Protocol diagram. Source: Google for Developers
Standardized integration allows AI to load payment data (such as via Google Pay), apply discounts or set up delivery, effectively transforming AI into a complete checkout channel.
However, as the diagram above explains, the business remains the Merchant of Record. This means that the brand still controls stock, price, delivery and after-sales. AI does not “take” the business for itself. It works like a new sales channel, just like a marketplace or an app, but conversational, automatic and much faster.
What is the direct impact for brands?
There are direct and profound impacts for brands with the adoption of UCP and commerce mediated by AI agents.
- Less control over product discovery;
- Dependence on standards and rules defined by platforms;
- Greater risk of third parties, sellers and parallel offers gaining prominence;
- Difficulty in ensuring that the brand's official source be prioritized.
Do you understand how UCP works and why it changes the way your brand is discovered, compared and chosen? If a company is not ready for this change, it is a warning sign, because this new purchasing journey is already happening.
Is your brand not protected against the risks of the new AI-mediated purchasing journey? Speak to a Branddi specialist and receive a diagnosis on how to shield your digital presence.