Google has commenced testing a new feature that allows shoppers in India to purchase products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. The move marks a significant step for the search giant as it looks to expand its artificial intelligence services beyond traditional product discovery into direct online transactions.
According to people familiar with the matter and an experience reviewed by tech publications, users participating in the early test see a prominent "Buy" button on select Flipkart product listings appearing within Gemini and Google’s AI Mode. Tapping this button initiates a Flipkart checkout flow without requiring the user to leave the AI interface, streamlining the traditional e-commerce journey.
The early trial is currently limited to a select group of users and a small range of products, including popular categories such as smartphones, electronics, and mobile accessories, sources said. Other users continue to see standard product listings from Flipkart in Gemini and AI Mode without the integrated option to complete purchases directly inside the chat and AI interface.
Google plans to roll out the transactional experience more broadly later in October, strategically timing the expansion ahead of India’s major festive shopping season. The festive period is traditionally one of the busiest times of the year for e-commerce operators in the region, with companies rolling out their largest sales events and promotions to capture heightened consumer demand.
This early trial arrives as Google and industry rivals, including OpenAI, aggressively add robust commerce capabilities to their AI offerings. Technology companies are increasingly striving to move beyond merely answering shopping queries and recommending products, aiming instead to play a direct, monetizable role in online purchases.
When asked about the ongoing Flipkart test, a Google spokesperson stated that the company is always testing new features and experiences designed to help people discover and connect with businesses more easily. The company noted that it regularly runs experiments of this nature, declining to share further operational details regarding the current rollout.
Google has separately been building foundational technology aimed at making seamless purchases possible through its various AI services. Earlier this year, the company introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol as an open standard designed to let AI agents interact dynamically with retailers across the entire shopping journey, including checkout. Google announced at the time that the technology would eventually allow shoppers to buy eligible products through Gemini and AI Mode utilizing a Google-hosted checkout experience. The company has since expanded the protocol with additional capabilities, including allowing shoppers to seamlessly transfer items to a retailer’s dedicated website to complete a final purchase.
The Flipkart test observed recently appears distinct from the Google-hosted checkout experience that the Gemini maker previously demonstrated. Rather than a Google-native interface, the current test triggers a Flipkart-branded checkout flow when a user interacts with the Buy button. It remains unclear precisely what underlying technology powers this specific integration.
Earlier this month, Google publicly named Flipkart among the key merchant partners collaborating with it to bring what the company calls "agentic" shopping experiences to consumers in India. However, specific details regarding the test parameters or the precise rollout timeline had not been previously disclosed.
Notably, Google maintains a pre-existing financial relationship with Flipkart alongside its broader technology partnership. Google invested approximately $350 million in the Indian e-commerce company in 2024 as part of a funding round led by Walmart, securing a minority stake in the business.
India represents the world’s second-largest internet market, boasting more than a billion internet subscribers. Within this massive digital economy, Flipkart and rival Amazon compete fiercely for online shoppers. That competitive landscape intensifies significantly during the country’s festive shopping season, when e-commerce platforms pull out all stops to attract consumers.
For now, the integrated Buy option is not appearing universally across all retailers surfaced by Google’s AI services. In the experience observed during testing, listings from competing platforms, including Amazon, appeared alongside Flipkart products but did not feature the direct in-interface purchasing capability.
Flipkart did not immediately respond to inquiries requesting comment on the ongoing integration and testing phase.
