AI agents
AI agent
An AI agent is an autonomous AI system that performs tasks on behalf of people, such as booking a reservation or comparing product specifications.
In plain words
A chatbot answers. An agent acts: it can visit websites, read them and take steps.
Google says browser agents may analyze screenshots, inspect the page’s DOM structure and interpret the accessibility tree.
Example
Someone asks an agent to book a table for four at an Italian restaurant on Friday. The agent opens restaurant websites, checks the menus and fills in a booking form.
Why it matters for AI search
web.dev says agents see a site through screenshots, raw HTML and the accessibility tree. A site that is hard to read in those forms is hard for agents to use.
Google mentions protocols like the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) as emerging ways to let its Search agents do more.
What you can do
- Use real buttons, links and form labels instead of clickable divs.
- Keep important information in text, not only in images.
- Read Google’s agent-friendly website guidance on web.dev.
Often confused with
- Chatbot
- A chatbot replies to messages. An agent can also use tools and websites to finish a task.
- Crawler
- A crawler collects pages in bulk. An agent visits pages to finish one task for one person.
Sources
- Google Search Central: Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search
- web.dev: Build agent-friendly websites
Facts and sources last checked on 19 October 2026.
Related terms
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