Re-Defining the 'Agentic Web' (medium.com)

The concept of the "Agentic Web" is evolving, shifting from a model where AI agents merely automate existing web interactions to one where they fundamentally inhabit and reshape online spaces. The current focus in the AI community largely revolves around automation—agents doing tasks like booking flights by navigating human-designed websites. However, this perspective overlooks a more transformative vision where AI agents create and control their own interactive environments. The introduction of the Web Model Context Protocol (WebMCP) by Google and Microsoft marks a significant step toward recognizing AI agents as integral participants in the web, enabling web pages to expose structured tools directly to these agents. This new perspective posits the browser not just as a viewport but as a dynamic runtime capable of facilitating AI's perception and interaction with the world. Agents will be able to respond in real-time to user actions, creating a fluid collaboration rather than a one-directional exchange. The integration of push notifications and browser-native inference capabilities further empowers agents to be proactive collaborators, extending their presence and influence beyond mere reactive responses. This shift represents a fundamental rethinking of the relationship between AI and the web, suggesting a future where interfaces are alive, adaptive, and can dynamically evolve based on interaction, ultimately transforming how users engage with technology.