AI is rapidly moving from aspiration to action, turning “what if?” into “what’s next?” At Dell Technologies, we see this every day, as organizations are using AI agents to solve real problems, whether enhancing developer productivity or accelerating complex business decisions. As any technology matures, its reach is determined not just by its promise, but by the foundations we lay; foundations built on open standards, interoperability, and trust. We’re working with Google on the Agentic Payments Protocol to help ensure businesses can trust AI-driven commerce to deliver consistent and secure experiences for their customers.
Developed by Google and endorsed by merchants, payment providers, and technology leaders such as Dell, AP2 is more than just a technical specification, it’s a pivotal agentic AI milestone. It works to establish a common, open language for secure transactions and collaboration between AI agents, businesses, and users everywhere.
Why trust and openness are essential for AI-driven commerce
AI’s power grows when it can work across organizations, platforms, and use cases; something only possible when open, vendor-neutral standards are adopted. Today’s traditional payment systems were designed for a world where humans click “buy.” AI agents automate that process, but automation must not come at the expense of trust.
Protocols like AP2 offer a foundation to run multi-agent commerce that’s secure, observable, and interoperable. AP2 brings to market:
- Open-Source Foundations: Built to be extended and governed through open collaboration, not proprietary lock-in.
- Granular, Verifiable Controls: Cryptographically signed digital “mandates” (Cart and Intent Mandates) provide a transparent, tamper-proof mechanism to authorize agent actions and record user intent.
- Ecosystem-Ready Architecture: By defining clear roles and responsibilities across users, agents, credentials providers, and merchants, the model ensures that both risk and accountability are shared, transparent, and aligned with established business processes.
- Future-Proof for Real-World Use: Whether it’s B2B procurement automation, recurring payments, or multi-vendor bundles, this protocol is robust enough to handle advanced use cases in commerce that we couldn’t even imagine with today’s tools.
Why Dell cares: enabling secure, scalable, and innovative AI commerce
At Dell Technologies, our mission has always been to empower organizations to harness technology as a force for progress. We care deeply about AP2 because it embodies the principles we believe are essential for meaningful innovation: openness, security, and interoperability. Our platforms are designed to give customers the foundation they need to leverage new standards like AP2 with confidence. Dell’s technology powers secure edge workflows, scalable datacenters, and trusted multi-agent infrastructures, enabling AI-driven commerce with seamless and scalable customer experiences.
Open collaboration: the engine for progress
The excitement around AP2 reflects Dell’s deep belief that the most meaningful innovation happens in the open. When governance is neutral, and anyone can contribute or adopt, we move faster; building technologies that work together out of the box instead of competing in isolated silos.
We’ve witnessed this at Dell as our customers use agent-based AI to revolutionize fields from electronics design to sustainability initiatives. What’s clear is that the next leap forward will depend on standards like AP2; open, trusted, and interoperable by default.
What this means for businesses and developers
For organizations, AP2 means the confidence to deploy agentic automation everywhere: integrating with ERP, scaling up e-commerce, or orchestrating complex supply chains. Developers gain the ability to build AI solutions that interoperate securely and flexibly; business leaders benefit from lower risk, operational simplicity, and new levels of agility.
But most importantly, end users, whether they’re businesses or consumers, can trust that as AI agents do more, they do so transparently and with trust, on their behalf.
Looking ahead
AP2 isn’t an isolated effort. It signals a shift toward a future where enterprise AI is open, trusted, and a catalyst for progress at a global scale. At Dell Technologies, we remain committed to leading and supporting this movement, working alongside our partners and the broader community to ensure that AI technologies deliver on their promise for everyone.
Together, we’re building something far more valuable than technology: we’re building a foundation for trust in the age of intelligent automation.
