Google AI Mode and AI Overviews Shopping: How Products Get Picked

Google says AI Mode shopping combines Gemini with its Shopping Graph, which had more than 50 billion product listings with details like reviews, prices, colour options and availability, and refreshed over 2 billion listings every hour, as of May 2025 ([Google](https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/shopping/google-shopping-ai-mode-virtual-try-on-update/)). AI Mode runs fan-out searches to work out what matters for a request, then suggests products meeting those criteria. Your Merchant Center data is how you get into that graph.

Disclosure: MentionX is our product. Facts are from Google, accessed 30 Oct 2026; features vary by market and many are US-first.

How does AI Mode pick products?

Google's description (Google):

Google hasn't published a product-ranking formula. Our view: products whose data clearly states the attributes fan-out identifies (waterproof, pocket layout, weight) are easier to match.

What data should you provide?

Google Search Central says to keep Merchant Center and Business Profile information up to date for AI features (Google). Merchant Center is Google's product data tool (Google).

• [ ] Complete product feed with accurate titles and descriptions
• [ ] Prices and availability kept current
• [ ] Variants (size, colour) clearly specified
• [ ] Reviews where eligible
• [ ] Product pages with matching structured data and visible text (Google)

In January 2026 Google announced dozens of new Merchant Center attributes for conversational commerce on AI Mode, Gemini and Business Agent, such as answers to common product questions, compatible accessories and substitutes, rolling out first to a small group of retailers (Google).

What is agentic checkout?

Google described agentic checkout in May 2025: shoppers track a price with their preferred options and budget, then confirm and tap "buy for me"; Google adds the item to the cart on the merchant's site and completes checkout with Google Pay, rolling out for US listings (Google).

What is UCP and the new checkout?

In January 2026 Google launched the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard for agentic commerce co-developed with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target and Walmart (Google). Google says UCP will power checkout on eligible product listings in AI Mode and the Gemini app for eligible US retailers, with Google Pay (and PayPal coming), while retailers remain seller of record.

What is Business Agent?

Business Agent lets shoppers chat with a brand on Search, like a virtual sales associate answering in the brand's voice. Eligible US retailers can activate and customise it in Merchant Center (Google).

Are there ads?

Google says it's testing ads in AI Mode and piloting Direct Offers, which let advertisers show exclusive discounts to ready-to-buy shoppers, labelled "Sponsored deal" (Google). Organic product visibility and ads are separate levers.

What's a merchant plan?

Illustrative example: an outdoor-gear retailer.

How do you test product visibility?

1. Write prompts with criteria ("waterproof daypack under €100 for city commuting").
2. Record products and merchants shown, and the criteria AI Mode states.
3. Check whether your feed expresses those criteria.
4. Repeat with follow-ups.

Illustrative row.

How does this compare with other engines?

Checklist

• [ ] Feed complete and current
• [ ] Buyer criteria in product data
• [ ] Pages match feed
• [ ] UCP and Business Agent evaluated (US)
• [ ] Monthly prompt tests

Related

• How to rank in AI Mode
• Copilot shopping

Sources

• Google, Shopping in AI Mode (I/O 2025); New tech and tools for retailers (UCP) (11 Jan 2026); AI features and your website; Merchant Center
• OpenAI, Shopping; Microsoft Advertising, AI shopping (PDF)

All accessed 30 Oct 2026.