TechCrunch: Google tests buying from Flipkart through Gemini and AI Mode in India
Google is testing a way to buy products from Flipkart directly through Gemini and AI Mode in India, TechCrunch reports. The limited test shows a “Buy” button to some users for a selection of smartphones, electronics and mobile accessories; the button opens a Flipkart-branded checkout flow without leaving the AI interface. According to a source cited by the site, the experience may expand later in October. A Google spokesperson told TechCrunch that the company regularly tests new features to help people discover and connect with businesses, but provided no further details. The experience appears different from the Google-hosted checkout associated with the Universal Commerce Protocol, a standard the company is developing to enable purchases through AI agents. Amazon listings seen by TechCrunch did not offer the same option.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The test could reduce the friction between discovering a product in an AI interface and completing the purchase, while keeping Flipkart’s checkout within the flow. Its difference from the Google-hosted checkout associated with the Universal Commerce Protocol suggests that more than one path for AI-mediated shopping is still being evaluated.