MIT Technology Review, in a piece from its newsletter The Algorithm, considers the tension that arises as the internet is reshaped to accommodate AI agents. The article notes that until recently internet users could be sorted into two groups: bots and people. Websites have traditionally permitted bots to carry out automated tasks such as capturing the content of web pages, within certain rules.
Why it matters
The framing suggests that steps taken to make the web more usable for AI agents could carry trade-offs that negatively affect ordinary human users, raising questions about who the internet is being optimized for.
Who should care
Readers interested in how AI agents interact with online content, as well as those following debates about web access and automation, may find the discussion relevant.