Observed Signal · Apr 22, 2025 · Product Launch · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Microsoft Copilot Merchant Program Goes Live
Microsoft has launched the Copilot Merchant Center Program, enabling sellers to feed product data into Copilot so AI-powered AI Search results can surface product details, prices, deals, visuals, and AI-generated rating snippets. Merchants can register now to boost visibility and conversions as AI search becomes a core shopping feature in Copilot-enabled experiences and Bing. The program supports up-to-date product data, including specifications, pricing, discounts, and visuals, with notifications for price drops and checkout possible directly within the Copilot app. Copilot can also suggest similar products to shoppers, driving potential conversions. Microsoft’s blog notes that merchants should share current product specifications to ensure accurate recommendations. SEO experts highlighted the program as a competitive response to existing AI search ecosystems, with buzz circulating on social channels.
Launch of the Copilot Merchant Program enabling AI Search shopping; potential impact on retail discovery and AI-powered shopping ecosystems.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Copilot Merchant Center Program lets sellers feed product data to Copilot for AI Search.
- Merchants can register now for the Copilot Merchant Program.
- Product data can include details, prices, deals, visuals, and AI-generated rating excerpts in AI Search.
- Copilot can suggest similar products and enable checkout directly in the Copilot app.
- Merchants should keep product data up-to-date to ensure accurate Copilot recommendations.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Microsoft pilots AI Max across Bing and Copilot
Microsoft Advertising is preparing an open pilot of AI Max for Search campaigns in May 2026 and is rolling out a set of advertising, analytics, and commerce features across Bing, Copilot Search, and Copilot Answers. AI Max uses AI to expand query matching, personalise creative assets and route URLs for AI-driven search surfaces; advertisers must opt in and will have controls such as brand/term exclusions and messaging constraints. Microsoft is expanding Microsoft Clarity’s AI Visibility reporting, adding Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)-ready product feeds in Microsoft Merchant Center and integrating Shopify Catalog into Copilot. Copilot Checkout is being extended to more than 500,000 merchants and mobile apps, Brand Agents are being broadened to WooCommerce, Offer Highlights will appear in Copilot (Best Buy an early adopter), and an Audience generation tool is entering a closed pilot in the US and Canada.
Microsoft updates ads for AI-driven discovery
Microsoft announced a set of ad-platform updates designed to surface advertisers inside AI-driven discovery and transactions across Copilot and Bing. Key launches include AI Max for Search campaigns to expand query matching and personalize delivery, Offer Highlights to surface selling points inside AI conversations, AI Visibility measurement in Microsoft Clarity, support for the Universal Commerce Protocol in Merchant Center, Copilot Checkout enhancements for in-conversation purchases, and an AI-powered audience generation tool that builds targeting from plain-language descriptions. The changes prioritize selection inside conversational AI experiences over traditional rankings and clicks, and touch measurement, product feed structure, targeting and embedded commerce workflows.
Google launches unified agentic AI for Gemini
At a Google Cloud event on Thursday, Google announced it is bringing agentic AI to its Gemini assistant, launching a unified agent that can autonomously plan and execute tasks on behalf of users. Aimed initially at businesses, the agent can connect to internal systems and external tools, use custom skills, and even choose from third-party models like Anthropic's Claude. It will have its own Workspace account with an email address, and will write its own audit trail. Early testers include On, Shopify, and PayPal. Gemini has over 1 billion monthly active users, and nearly 90% of Fortune 100 companies use Gemini Enterprise.
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