Search | LinkedIn
By Mansour Norouzi · January 12, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Google just launched something that could reshape e-commerce.
It’s called the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP).
The idea:
a standard way for AI shopping agents to talk to retailers. One protocol to connect everything from browsing to checkout.
UCP will power native checkout inside Google’s AI Mode and Gemini.
That means customers can buy without ever visiting a retailer’s website.
Here’s who’s in:
→ Shopify
→ Walmart
→ Target
→ Etsy
→ Wayfair
→ 20+ other industry leaders
Here’s who’s NOT in: Amazon.
Why would Walmart join something that could hurt their ad business?
Because they’re playing catch-up. They’d rather have a piece of a bigger, more open pie than protect their slice while Amazon keeps dominating.
The ad model won’t disappear, it’ll just shift. Instead of paying for placement in search results, brands will pay to be the AI’s preferred recommendation.
Plus, UCP could play to Walmart’s strengths—real-time local inventory, buy online pick up in 2 hours. Amazon can’t match that.
Why would Amazon stay out?
Their entire moat is keeping you inside their ecosystem. Prime. FBA. Their own ad platform. Their own AI (Rufus).
Why would they help Google build an open standard that makes comparison shopping easier?
But here’s the real question:
Is Amazon right to protect the walled garden?
If AI agents become how people shop, Amazon risks being the “difficult” platform that agents work around not with.
That’s a dangerous position for anyone, even the #1 player.
What do you think? who’s making the right bet here?