Google is transforming your online shopping cart into something much smarter

Earlier this year, Google unveiled Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new common language for AI agents to make autonomous shopping part of the buying experience. The company also recently introduced a new payments infrastructure to make agentic checkouts more seamless. Despite concerns brought up by US lawmakers, Google is now tying this all together by introducing a new shopping feature.

During Google I/O 2026, the Mountain View-based firm announced “Universal Cart.” This shopping feature is described as an intelligent cart and an agentic hub for shopping on Google. What makes this cart different from other carts is that it’s designed to work across merchants and services, allowing you to add shopping items as you browse Search, chat with Gemini, read Gmail, and more.

For example, say that you’re in the middle of a conversation with Gemini about what equipment you’ll need to play soccer. You’ll be able to add items from Nike, Target, and other vendors to your cart to purchase later. Google says that Universal Cart will initially support merchants like Nike, Sephora, Target, Ulta Beauty, Walmart, Wayfair, and Shopify merchants such as Fenty and Steve Madden. You’ll also be able to transfer your items to the merchant’s site to complete the purchase if you choose.

One interesting feature Universal Cart will have is price checking and availability alerts. According to Google, once an item enters the cart, it will attempt to find deals and price drops. It can also provide price history and send you alerts when something is back in stock.

Another function worth noting is Universal Cart’s intelligent reasoning. The tool can anticipate your needs and solve problems before they arise. Say that you’re building a custom PC and you add a number of parts from various retailers. Universal Cart will proactively inform you whether any of those parts are incompatible and will suggest alternatives.

This new shopping experience is scheduled to roll out to Search and the Gemini app this summer. At a later date, Universal Cart will also come to YouTube and Gmail.