a16z: AI agent traffic to websites jumped 8x in two months, reshaping bot defenses
· 22h ago · Originally reported by PPC Land
Andreessen Horowitz data shows AI agent traffic to customer sites grew eightfold in two months. Meta's Muse accounted for 59% of agent requests on HUMAN customer sites in October, with OpenAI at 30%. The trend raises questions for retailers whose bot defenses are designed to block automated traffic, not serve it.
Why it matters
As software agents start browsing and buying on behalf of people, the line between 'good bots' and 'bad bots' blurs. Ad tech and fraud vendors will need to distinguish helpful agents from fraudulent automation.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like stores suddenly getting lots of robot shoppers sent by real customers — the security guards have to learn which robots to welcome and which to turn away.
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