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AI Agents Coming to a Website Near You

If you manage a website, you’ve likely pondered over the “unassigned traffic” data in Google Analytics. For the sites we oversee, this figure hovers between 2-4%.

While Google hasn’t issued a clear explanation for what constitutes this unassigned traffic, it essentially represents anything that doesn’t fall into defined categories like Organic, Direct, or Referral traffic. This includes bots, crawlers, and unwelcome malware. These entities browse the internet just like we do, examining your site while adhering to their programmed tasks.

However, a new breed of automated software is emerging—one that you would welcome with open arms. Imagine offering them structured data, open APIs, and a meticulously crafted sitemap—everything they need to operate smoothly. Enter: AI Agents!

“If you work on websites, your audience now includes user agents.” – John Mueller, Google Search Relations

These agents are digital assistants designed to solve specific challenges. They analyse data, make decisions, and execute tasks—all while optimising their approach until they arrive at the best solution. Think of them like project managers who carry out tasks independently, without requiring step-by-step guidance.

In November 2023, Bill Gates shared insights about the future of agents: “Agents will transform how we engage with software and how it’s developed. They’ll render search engines obsolete, being more capable of finding and summarising information for you.”

In 2024, we saw significant developments as Salesforce introduced Agentforce, HubSpot’s co-founder launched Agent.ai, Microsoft rolled out Copilot agents, and Google unveiled Agentspace. Additionally, startups like CrewAI, MultiOn, and Skyfire are making these AI agents more accessible. As per MIT Technology Review, AI agents are currently “the hottest trend in technology”.

Your website must adapt to accommodate AI agents as part of your audience. Before we explore the implications of this shift, let’s clarify what agentic artificial intelligence entails.

Agentic AI vs. Generative AI

Generative AI is all about creating new content—be it text, images, music, or code—based on user prompts. It utilises sophisticated machine learning models, including neural networks, to decipher context and produce outputs that reflect human-like creativity.

In the landscape of artificial intelligence, generative AI forms the basis from which agentic AI has evolved. But how does this latest iteration operate?

AI agents work towards user-defined objectives by autonomously completing a series of tasks, often requiring little to no human input. These agents can execute independent actions, evaluate their surroundings, and modify their strategies to adapt to new circumstances. Moreover, they can collaborate and exchange information with other agents, pooling efforts to tackle intricate tasks or achieve broader goals.

For instance, if you query an LLM like ChatGPT with “What should I visit near Barcelona?”, it will present a list of destinations with brief summaries and travel times. In contrast, with AI agents, you’d pose a similar question, and they would conduct a series of thoughtful tasks to deliver a more comprehensive solution tailored to your needs.

In our scenario, the AI agent would first check your calendar to see when your trip to Barcelona is scheduled. It would then consult the weather forecast to refine its recommendations. Depending on your personal interests, you would look for relevant activities in the area. If you’re a nature lover, the outcome might read: “The weather is perfect for an off-road hike. Consider taking the 8:45 train to Montserrat for the Sant Jeroni Trail, which takes about 2.5 hours. Would you like me to book your tickets?” This illustrates a genuinely informed and helpful response.

Presently, most AI agents are oriented towards aiding business functionalities. Sam Altman from OpenAI predicts that by 2025, we may witness AI agents “joining the workforce” and significantly impacting company outputs. (blog.samaltman.com)

However, the true game-changers are personal agents, which will act as our lifelong companions, embodying our identities while taking actions on our behalf. Bill Gates remarked, “You’ll no longer visit search engines or productivity tools. Every interaction will be mediated by your agent.”

Websites Accessible to Agents

The shift towards agentic AI signifies that human interaction with websites may soon become unnecessary. This raises important considerations for website owners, as the conventional role of websites—facilitating human engagement—undergoes a transformation.

As AI agents proliferate, the emphasis on intricate design for human users is likely to wane. These agents prioritise structured data, clear APIs, and machine-readable content over aesthetics or branding. Consequently, conventional website elements such as easy navigation and appealing layouts will take a back seat to backend optimisation and features suited for AI integration.

There are already tools available to enable AI agents to interface effectively with the web.

Browser Use is a free, open-source library designed to facilitate organic interactions between AI agents and websites. It supports platforms like Claude Sonnet 3.5, DeepSeek v3, GPT-4o, and local Llama 3.

Here’s a demo illustrating how an AI agent assists a job candidate in applying for numerous roles by matching resumes with job listings:

Getting Your Website Ready for AI Agents

In this evolving landscape, the true value of your website lies in its ability to furnish actionable insights for AI agents and streamline task completion.

Here are seven actionable steps you can take now to prepare your website for this new audience:

1. Enhance Machine Readability

Utilise structured data formats (such as schema.org or JSON-LD) to ensure your content is easily interpretable by AI agents. Keep all metadata accurate and current.

2. Deploy APIs

Provide robust APIs that allow agents to directly access your site’s functions, enabling seamless interactions without simulated navigation. Use REST or GraphQL APIs for efficient data sharing.

3. Focus on Security and Trust

AI agents will favour secure, reliable sites. Implement effective authentication, data protection, and compliance measures. Adding HTTPS, OAuth authentication, and secure APIs can enhance their trust in your site.

4. Establish Clear Interaction Pathways

Create straightforward, logical pathways for agents to access and gather information. This entails detailed sitemaps, explicit API instructions, and thorough task completion documentation.

5. Streamline with Automation

Automate repetitive processes like data extraction and validation to maintain your website’s readiness for agent access. Tools like webhooks and automated responses can greatly enhance interaction efficiency.

6. Prepare for Increased Load

Ensure your servers and APIs can handle the expected surge in traffic from AI agents while maintaining stable performance under higher request volumes.

7. Support Multi-Modal Functionality

Some AI agents can process various formats, including images, videos, and audio, along with text. Optimise your multimedia content with accessible formats, comprehensive metadata, and machine-readable descriptions.

If you’re looking to delve into implementing these strategies, here’s a helpful video from Kristian Fagerlie that illustrates how to optimise your website for AI agents:

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