AI Commerce Protocols: ACP & UCP Explained

How OpenAI and Google Gemini Are Shaping the Future of Agent-Driven Commerce

Artificial intelligence is no longer just powering recommendations and chatbots — it’s beginning to act on behalf of shoppers.

AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are evolving into agentic systems that can discover products, compare options, and even complete purchases for users. To make this possible at scale, new standards are emerging that define how AI agents interact with merchants, platforms, and payment systems.

Two of the most important standards leading this shift are:

OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP)
Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)

Together, these protocols are laying the foundation for what many are calling the next generation of digital commerce.

Why This Matters for Merchants

In the near future, customers won’t just “visit websites” — they’ll increasingly rely on AI assistants to:

Find products across multiple brands and platforms
Compare pricing, availability, and delivery options
Execute purchases directly inside AI interfaces

This creates a new commerce channel: one where AI agents become the intermediary between shoppers and merchants.

Supporting emerging commerce protocols like ACP and UCP helps ensure your products and services remain discoverable, purchasable, and competitive in this new environment.

What Is OpenAI’s ACP?

OpenAI’s Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) is designed to enable AI agents — such as ChatGPT — to act as intelligent shopping assistants.

ACP allows AI systems to:

Discover merchant products through structured data feeds
Retrieve real-time pricing and availability
Initiate checkout and payment flows on behalf of users
Use delegated payment methods while merchants retain control over fulfillment, refunds, and compliance

In practical terms, ACP makes it possible for an AI assistant to say:

“I found the best option. Would you like me to complete the purchase for you?”

And then actually do it.

ACP is primarily agent-centric, optimized for AI-first experiences where the assistant itself becomes the primary shopping interface.

What Is Google’s UCP?

Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) is Google’s open standard for agent-driven commerce across its ecosystem — including Google Search AI, Gemini, and future AI-powered shopping experiences.

UCP is designed to:

Create a standardized “commerce language” between agents, merchants, and platforms
Support the full commerce lifecycle: discovery → checkout → payment → order management
Work across multiple surfaces and technologies, not just Google products
Integrate with payment systems like Google Pay and partner platforms

UCP is ecosystem-centric, focused on broad interoperability across many platforms and services.

ACP vs UCP: What’s the Difference?

Feature	OpenAI – ACP	Google – UCP
Core Focus	AI agents as shoppers;	Cross-platform commerce standard
Primary Use	ChatGPT and AI assistants	Google AI, Search, Gemini, partners
Scope	Discovery + checkout	Full commerce lifecycle
Design Philosophy	Agent-first	Ecosystem-wide
Merchant Strategy	Structured product feeds	Standardized commerce roles

Important: You don’t have to choose.

Most industry experts expect merchants to support both protocols over time — similar to how businesses support both iOS and Android today.

What This Means for Your Business

Supporting ACP and UCP positions your business for:

New AI-driven traffic sources
Increased product discoverability
Faster, more frictionless checkout experiences
Future-proof commerce infrastructure

AI assistants are becoming a new “front door” to digital commerce. Businesses that prepare early will be the ones AI agents recommend first.

How We Help You Prepare for Agentic Commerce

At Ability, we help merchants and platforms become AI-commerce ready by:

Structuring product data for AI discoverability
Supporting real-time inventory and pricing feeds
Enabling flexible checkout and order workflows
Integrating with modern commerce APIs and platforms
Designing scalable systems that adapt as standards evolve

Our approach ensures you’re prepared not just for today’s ecommerce — but for the AI-driven commerce landscape that’s emerging right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need ACP and UCP?
Yes. These protocols are complementary, not competitors. Supporting both maximizes your reach across AI platforms.

Is this replacing traditional ecommerce?
Not immediately — but it adds a powerful new channel where AI becomes an intermediary between shoppers and merchants.

Is this relevant for small and mid-sized businesses?
Absolutely. AI assistants level the playing field by prioritizing structured data and relevance over brand size alone.

Ready for the Future of Commerce?

AI-driven shopping is no longer theoretical — it’s already starting.

Talk to us today about preparing your commerce systems for ACP, UCP, and the next generation of intelligent, agent-driven experiences.

Schedule A Consultation