Google want to end the "15 open tabs" shopping struggle

Idir Ouhab Meskine

January 12, 2026

Google want to end the "15 open tabs" shopping struggle

TL;DR - Key Takeaways

→The Goal: A new standard called UCP aims to let your AI assistant (Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.) handle the entire shopping process—from finding a product to paying for it—without you ever leaving the chat.
→The Promise: No more creating dozens of store accounts or re-typing your shipping address. The assistant handles the "paperwork" automatically.
→Security: They claim it’s safer because it uses "tokens," meaning the store never actually sees your real credit card number.
→In-Chat Tracking: Shipping updates and returns are supposedly handled directly in the conversation, so you can stop hunting for confirmation emails.
→The Catch: Amazon is not participating. You’ll still have to use their app for anything bought through them.
→Timeline: Launched Jan 11, 2026, in the US; rolling out globally throughout the year.

What if you could make online shopping as easy as sending a text? That's the promise of the new Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), announced yesterday. The basic pitch from Google, Shopify, and Visa is that we can finally stop juggling a dozen open tabs just to buy something. The idea they’re selling is that ChatGPT, or whatever you use, handles the whole process without you ever leaving the chat.

According to yesterday’s presentation, if you ask for a carry-on bag that fits your preferred airline's rules, the AI scans hundreds of stores and shows you the best options right there. If you like one, you just pay with your fingerprint, and you're done.

What they’re promising with this system:

They claim this will end the hassle of creating a new account for every random store you find, since the assistant automatically handles your shipping info. They’re also promising better security because stores never see your actual card—only a one-time code. Apparently, even order tracking will happen inside the chat, so you don’t have to go digging through your inbox for confirmation emails.

The fine print:

Almost everyone is on board—Mastercard, Walmart, Target, Samsonite—but there’s one big name missing. Amazon isn’t part of this, so you’ll still have to use their app like usual.

For now, this is starting in the US and rolling out globally through 2026. Ultimately, it’s a push by these companies to get AI to actually do things instead of just giving us links, but we’ll have to wait and see if it’s really as seamless as they say.

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