Google Builds One Standard for AI Commerce

Hi everyone,

Google is building an AI standard for e-commerce, let’s see what comes out of it. Also, Anthropic’s Claude Code is so popular that they’re limiting 3rd party apps from using them.

Let’s get right into it.

In this issue:

• 🤝 In Partnership: A daily edge in the stock market

• 🤿Deep Dive: Google’s one protocol for AI shopping

• 🤝 Powered by: A free guide to global hiring

• 🎁Referral Rewards: Earn perks by inviting friends

• 🤿Deep Dive: Anthropic blocks workarounds for cheap access

• ⚒️Tool Snapshots: Tools for AI, no-code, and productivity

• 🖼️AI Art: Examples of great and trending AI art

🤝IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ELITE TRADE

The headlines that actually moves markets

Tired of missing the trades that actually move markets?

Every weekday, you’ll get a 5-minute Elite Trade Club newsletter covering the top stories, market-moving headlines, and the hottest stocks — delivered before the opening bell.

Whether you’re a casual trader or a serious investor, it’s everything you need to know before making your next move.

Join 200K+ traders who read our 5-minute premarket report to see which stocks are setting up for the day, what news is breaking, and where the smart money’s moving.

Click Here to Join Now

^{_{By joining, you’ll receive Elite Trade Club emails and select partner insights. See Privacy Policy.}}

🤿 DEEP DIVE

Google Launches Universal Commerce Protocol to Unify AI Shopping Agents

Intelligence: Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) at NRF, an open standard built with Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart that lets AI agents handle everything from product discovery to post-purchase support without needing separate connections for each step.

• Google will soon use UCP in Search's AI mode and Gemini apps to let shoppers check out directly from U.S. retailers using Google Pay and saved shipping info, with PayPal support coming soon.

• The protocol works alongside other standards like Agent Payments Protocol (AP2), Agent2Agent (A2A), and Model Context Protocol (MCP), letting agents and businesses pick specific extensions that fit their needs rather than adopting everything at once.

• Brands can now offer instant discounts when shoppers search for product recommendations in AI mode.

• Google opened up branded AI-powered Business Agents in Search for merchants like Lowe's, Michael's, Poshmark, and Reebok to answer customer questions directly, joining competitors like Meta and Shopify who are testing similar customer support tools.

• Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke highlighted how agentic shopping excels at connecting people with products they wouldn't have searched for themselves, creating "serendipity" moments where the best commerce happens.

🤝POWERED BY DEEL

Hiring in 8 countries shouldn't require 8 different processes

This guide from Deel breaks down how to build one global hiring system. You’ll learn about assessment frameworks that scale, how to do headcount planning across regions, and even intake processes that work everywhere. As HR pros know, hiring in one country is hard enough. So let this free global hiring guide give you the tools you need to avoid global hiring headaches.

Download the free guide today

🎁REFERRAL REWARDS

If TIW has been useful, invite one friend or coworker who’d actually use AI/automation at work.

• 1 referral → get the TIW No-Code Workflows PDF (25 plug-and-play workflows)

• 10 referrals → get a full course free (your choice)

Your referral link: https://www.newsletter.theintelligentworker.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

Tip: send it to a friend who’s AI-curious, a coworker who wants to move faster, or anyone trying to automate repetitive tasks.

🤿 DEEP DIVE

Anthropic Blocks Third-Party Tools Spoofing Claude Code for Flat-Rate Usage

Intelligence: Anthropic implemented technical safeguards blocking third-party apps like OpenCode from spoofing its Claude Code client to access AI models at consumer subscription rates instead of metered API pricing.

• The crackdown targets "harnesses" that let developers run autonomous coding agents on $200/month Claude Pro/Max subscriptions, which users say can rack up $1,000+ in API-equivalent usage. Anthropic now forces high-volume automation toward its metered Commercial API or rate-limited Claude Code environment.

• Developer backlash was swift, with Ruby on Rails creator DHH calling it "very customer hostile," while OpenCode immediately launched a $200/month premium tier routing through an enterprise API gateway and partnered with OpenAI's Codex as an alternative.

• xAI staff discovered their Cursor access to Claude was blocked after Anthropic enforced its Terms of Service prohibition against "using services to build competing products or train competing AI models," with co-founder Tony Wu confirming the policy applies to all major competitors.

• The timing links to Claude Code's viral December surge driven by the "Ralph Wiggum" plugin method that trapped Claude in self-healing loops, with some popularity potentially fueled by users spoofing the client to access the powerful Opus 4.5 model at flat subscription rates rather than enterprise pricing.

⚒️ TOOL SNAPSHOTS

Futuristic tools within AI, no-code, and productivity

• 🎬 Elser AI - Transform ideas into feature-rich, consistent anime stories.

• 💰 Funding Goal - Calculates precise fundraising target for founders.

• 🧘‍♂️ Squair - Transform your phone into a stress-relief breathing coach.

• 🎵 MTV REWIND - Rediscover music with ad-free random retro videos.

🖼️ AI ART

Examples of great and trending AI art

ℹ️ ABOUT US

The Intelligent Worker helps you to be more productive at work with AI, automation, no-code, and other technologies.

We like real, practical, and tangible use-cases and hate hand-wavy, theoretical, and abstract concepts that don’t drive real-world outcomes.

Our mission is to empower individuals, boost their productivity, and future-proof their careers.

We read all your comments - please provide your feedback!