Google plants a flag in agentic AI as Bunnings, Adore Beauty and THE ICONIC sign on

Google has planted a major flag in the agentic AI space, bringing its commerce, search and advertising tools to Australia as it pushes Gemini deeper into the marketing stack.

The move lands in a part of the CMO and CX world that has traditionally been dominated by the likes of Salesforce, Zendesk and Qualtrics. But Google is now throwing its considerable weight into the space, backed by the full force of its digital ecosystem across search, YouTube, Gemini, commerce and measurement.

Speaking at Google Marketing Live in Sydney this week, Google Australia and New Zealand managing director Mel Silva said the company was no longer just testing the potential of AI, but operating in what she described as the “agentic era”.

“It’s completely changing the way that consumers are interacting, and how that curiosity can convert into results for all of you,” Silva said.

“We are no longer just testing the potential of AI. We are operating in the agentic era.”

As part of its push, Google will launch AI Max for Search in Australia and expand its Universal Commerce Protocol locally, making Australia the first APAC market to go live with the agentic commerce checkout experience.

In Australia, Google’s checkout experience will launch with retailers including Adore Beauty, Bunnings, Kogan Group, Petbarn and THE ICONIC.

The update will allow shoppers to make single-item purchases from select retailers directly within search, including AI Mode and the Gemini app, bringing the transaction closer to the moment of discovery.

“Agentic commerce isn’t coming, it’s here,” Silva said.

“We’ve got all of the bits assembled for you — a shopping graph, the Universal Commerce Protocol. These are all launching in Australia in the next couple of weeks.”

Silva positioned the move as part of a broader transformation of Google Search, with AI changing not only how consumers search, but how advertisers respond.

“AI has supercharged Google Search. People can now search for whatever they want, however they want, and they have responded by searching more and longer than ever,” she said.

“AI has the potential to accelerate Search, but only if customers trust you.”

Silva said Google’s advantage was its ability to bring together the full AI stack across its ecosystem.

“The entire AI stack is a big advantage for us,” she said. “Our full-stack approach drives better results.”

That full-stack pitch is the heart of Google’s play. While much of the agentic AI conversation has focused on enterprise workflow, customer service or CRM automation, Google is pushing the concept into consumer discovery, shopping and media effectiveness.

For marketers, the implication is clear: agentic AI is moving closer to the front end of the customer journey, where intent is created, shaped and converted.

Adrian Vallelonga, head of performance solutions at Google Australia and New Zealand, said the shift meant search advertising was moving well beyond static keyword matching.

“We’re moving way beyond simply matching static user queries, even the most nuanced and complex ones,” Vallelonga said.

“We’re now anticipating what someone might actually say next.”

Vallelonga said the rise of AI-led search meant brands needed to rethink the role of advertising in search environments.

“The best ads must be answerable,” he said.

“Trust is everything in this AI and agentic era. And while AI can be an accelerator of action, it can be a massive barrier if that trust isn’t there.”

Google also previewed new ad formats being tested within AI search experiences, including direct offers, AI-powered shopping ads and a business agent for leads.

According to Google, AI-powered shopping ads can surface the most relevant products for each shopper and generate a custom explainer outlining why a product may be the right choice. Business agent for leads is designed to engage customers through a conversational lead qualification experience directly in Search, before passing higher-intent prospects through to sales teams.

“So now you can see the astronomical rate of change that’s happening in search and why your ads need to be AI-ready,” Vallelonga said.

The company also used the event to frame YouTube as a performance engine, arguing it is one of the few platforms that can deliver both long-term brand building and short-term performance marketing.

But the bigger strategic play is the ecosystem.

“Google has always been a platform and an ecosystem company, so whether it’s Android for developers, YouTube for creators or search for the open web, that ecosystem mentality is deeply baked into our DNA,” Vallelonga said.

“That approach has guided us for decades and it will continue to guide us in the agentic era as well.”

For CMOs, the arrival of Google’s agentic commerce and AI search tools in Australia signals a shift in how the marketing stack is being reorganised.

The battle is no longer just about who owns CRM, who owns service or who owns campaign automation. It is increasingly about who owns the interface between consumer intent, brand discovery, product recommendation, creative, commerce and measurement.

“The agentic era is completely changing the way that consumers are interacting and how that curiosity can convert into results,” Google MD Silva said.“The agentic era is completely changing the way that consumers are interacting and how that curiosity can convert into results,” Google MD Silva said.