Google has denied claims that its new AI powered checkout system could enable price increases or surveillance pricing when users make purchases through AI Mode and the Universal Commerce Protocol UCP following criticism from consumer advocates and lawmakers.
Critics including Lindsay Owens executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative expressed concern that language in Google’s UCP roadmap — particularly references to cross sell and upsell modules — suggested retailers might use AI derived consumer data to charge higher prices at checkout. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren also raised these concerns on social media questioning whether Google could allow merchants to trick users into higher spending based on their data.
In response Google said the pricing claims are inaccurate and emphasized that its policies strictly forbid merchants from showing prices on Google that exceed those on their own websites. The company clarified that upselling refers to suggesting additional or premium product options a standard retail practice and not to overcharging users. Google also noted that its Direct Offers pilot is intended to provide lower priced deals or added services such as free shipping and cannot be used to raise prices.
The debate is part of Google’s broader effort to integrate shopping into AI experiences such as AI Mode in Search and the Gemini app which allow users to buy directly without leaving the platform. While Google describes these features as improving convenience and commerce capabilities some consumer advocates remain cautious about how personal data might be used in future AI assisted shopping tools.
Google maintains that pricing accuracy and consumer protection are core elements of its shopping policies and merchants are prohibited from charging more through AI checkout than on their own websites.
