Sen. Warren questions google Gemini checkout over user privacy concerns

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is pressing Google for more transparency regarding its plans to integrate a checkout feature into the Gemini AI chatbot. 

In a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai, Warren raised concerns that the feature could allow Google and retail partners to exploit sensitive user data or manipulate consumers into spending more.

Google announced last month that users will soon be able to purchase products directly within Gemini through the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a standard developed alongside major retailers such as Shopify, Target, Walmart, Wayfair, and Etsy.

The system is designed to streamline AI-to-retailer communication, but Warren wants details about what user data will be shared and to what extent.

“Google already possesses unprecedented troves of user search and AI chat data, and such intimate data could be merged with other services and third-party retailer data to drive consumer behavior in an exploitative manner,” Warren wrote. She also questioned whether Google might favor its retail partners in product suggestions and pricing.

The senator highlighted Google’s own admission that sensitive data could help retailers upsell “premium” products to users. She asked whether Gemini would inform users when recommendations are influenced by upselling, advertising, or sensitive data. Google has until February 17th to respond.