The Rise of Agentic Browsing: Why Your Website Must Be Built for Both Humans and AI

The emergence of agentic browsing - enabled by AI-powered browsers such as Perplexity's Comet, IA Labs' Dia, and tools like ChatGPT with real-time web browsing capabilities, is changing how people engage with the web. These technologies won’t just assist users - they will act on their behalf, reading, interpreting, summarising, and even transacting without users ever directly viewing a webpage. 

And although they are in their infancy, whilst we wait for MCP (agent to agent communication to become established), agentic browsing introduces a new digital dynamic. Websites must now serve a dual audience: the emotional, visual needs of human users and the structural, semantic requirements of AI agents. Achieving both ensures your site is accessible not only to people and AI agents but also to assistive technologies. 

For considered-purchase brands, those with high-value, high-involvement buying journeys, this evolution is particularly significant. These customer journeys span multiple sessions, stakeholders, and digital touchpoints. AI agents are increasingly conducting research, comparisons, and shortlisting options. If your website isn’t structured clearly or compellingly for these agents, it may be dismissed before a human decision-maker even sees it. 

 1. From human-centric to human + agent-centric design

Agentic browsing engages with websites differently than traditional human interactions. Agents extract semantic meaning, prioritise structured data, and often bypass decorative or non-essential elements. 

Key considerations: 

• Are your core messages presented in a clear and structured way? 
• Does your site use semantic HTML and logical hierarchies? 
• Can AI agents understand your value proposition without relying on visual cues? 

Example: A travel platform that clearly categorises reviews, prices, and availability is more likely to be surfaced by an AI than one buried in visual design and jargon. 

 2. SEO, GEO, and AEO: A holistic discovery strategy

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) remains foundational to digital visibility. Being present and competitive on platforms like Google continues to drive critical traffic. Alongside SEO, General Engine Optimisation (GEO) is becoming increasingly relevant. GEO focuses on optimising for a broader range of engines - including AI agents and non-traditional platforms by ensuring data is accessible, reliable, and structured. 

Now, with agentic browsing on the rise, we must also account for Agent Experience Optimisation (AEO), which focuses on making content understandable and actionable by AI agents. 

Key questions to ask: 

• Are your SEO fundamentals still strong - covering technical performance, mobile readiness, and high-quality content? 
• Is your content accessible to non-traditional engines via APIs, feeds, or structured data formats (GEO)? 
• Are your answers clearly structured, well-marked up, and infused with trust signals that are machine-readable (AEO)? 
• Does your brand voice stay consistent and emotionally resonant for the human decision-makers viewing agent-selected results? 

Example: A B2B SaaS firm that performs well in traditional search (SEO), exposes its data in structured formats for broader engines (GEO), and delivers concise, clear, agent-readable product comparisons (AEO), positions itself to win across the full spectrum of digital discovery. 

For considered-purchase brands, where research is layered and collaborative, a unified SEO + GEO + AEO strategy ensures you're discoverable, credible, and ready to be shortlisted - whether by a human or their AI assistant. 

3. Your website as a data and action interface

Websites are no longer just destinations, they’re becoming data hubs and action points for agents. This means agents need to interact with your data and be able to take action through the interface.

Strategic reflections: 

• Are your forms and tools accessible to technology? 
• Are your services and data available through APIs or structured feeds? 
• Is there a secure and scalable method for authenticating agent interactions? 
• How reliable, accessible, and performant is your site behind the scenes? 

Example: An e-commerce site with a clean API, fast loading, and structured data could allow agents to fetch prices or initiate orders on a user’s behalf. 

For complex sectors like finance, healthcare, and B2B technology, enabling AI interaction may determine which brands lead in the age of agentic browsing. 

Bridging Human UX and Agentic EX 

• Is your site equally compelling to people and machines? 
• Have you considered how machine readability affects human engagement indirectly? 
• Could your site become a preferred source of answers for AI agents? 

My final thought

We’re shifting from a world where humans browse to one where agents assist, guide, and act. To succeed, brands must communicate simultaneously on two fronts: captivating and persuading humans while clearly informing and enabling AI. This balance is where digital leadership will emerge - particularly for considered-purchase brands where each interaction shapes the long decision journey. 

To fully embrace this new landscape, it's more critical than ever that UX/UI designers, developers, technology teams, and performance experts work together. A unified approach ensures your website is not just found - but also understood, trusted, and chosen by both people and the intelligent agents acting on their behalf.