Alipay's New AI Shopping Protocol Makes Chat-to-Checkout a Reality
China Takes Lead in AI-Assisted Commerce with New Protocol
In a move that could redefine digital shopping experiences, Alipay unveiled its Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol (ACT) on January 16 through partnerships with Qwen App, Taobao Flash Sale, Rokid, Damaic, and Alibaba Cloud Bailing. This pioneering framework creates standardized rules for how AI assistants can safely handle commercial transactions across different platforms.
How It Works: From Chat to Checkout
The protocol transforms how consumers interact with everyday services. Want bubble tea? Simply tell Qwen App "Please order a pearl milk tea." The AI then:
- Scans nearby options based on your location
- Compares prices and applies coupons automatically
- Presents the best deal for one-click Alipay approval
No app switching. No manual searching. Just conversation-style shopping where your AI assistant handles the legwork.
Solving the Trust Problem in AI Commerce
As AI capabilities expand beyond chatting into task execution, critical questions emerge:
- Who authorizes purchases?
- How secure are financial transactions?
- Can experiences remain consistent across devices?
The ACT Protocol addresses these through four security pillars:
- Delegation Authorization - Clear user consent mechanisms
- Commercial Interaction - Standardized transaction processes
- Payment Services - Secure financial handling
- Trust Services - Full operation traceability
Benefits Beyond Convenience
The system maintains crucial user control - AIs execute orders but never initiate payments without approval. For merchants, it simplifies integration; one standardized connection works across all participating platforms instead of requiring custom API development for each.
The protocol supports two payment modes:
- Instant decisions: Real-time conversations ending with user verification (ideal for food delivery)
- Pre-authorized: Set spending limits/time windows for automatic purchases (perfect for travel bookings)
Global Context
The move positions China at the forefront of AI commerce standardization amid growing international competition:
- OpenAI partnered with Stripe for ChatGPT payments
- Google recently released its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) Unlike these Western counterparts focusing primarily on payments though, ACT takes a holistic approach covering the entire commercial interaction chain.
The protocol prioritizes compatibility with existing systems while remaining adaptable to future AI advancements. Alipay aims to expand participation among payment providers, merchants, developers and device manufacturers to refine what could become the global standard for trustworthy AI commerce.
