Summary:
1. The emergence of new protocols in the AI space is transforming websites to be more accessible for AI.
2. Microsoft’s NLWeb protocol enables websites to add AI-powered conversational interfaces, making any website an AI app.
3. Early adopters of NLWeb, such as O’Reilly Media and Tripadvisor, see the promise of NLWeb for enterprise agentic AI.
Article:
In the early days of the internet, search capabilities were limited, leading to the development of syndication protocols like Atom and RSS to make content more easily accessible. Fast forward to the modern era of AI, a new wave of protocols is emerging to cater to the needs of AI. One of the latest protocols making waves in the industry is Microsoft’s NLWeb protocol, announced during the Build 2025 conference. NLWeb, created by RV Guha, the mastermind behind RSS and schema.org, aims to make websites more AI-friendly by enabling the addition of AI-powered conversational interfaces.
NLWeb works by leveraging existing structured data formats like RSS feeds, allowing websites to easily integrate AI capabilities without the need for extensive technical overhauls. By adding structured data to vector databases and enhancing it with external knowledge using large language models (LLMs), NLWeb enables websites to offer intelligent responses to user queries in natural language. This approach transforms websites into AI-powered experiences, making AI-powered search and interaction as accessible as creating a basic webpage.
While NLWeb is gaining traction in the AI protocol landscape, other protocols like Google’s Agent2Agent and LLMs.txt are also making their mark. Google’s A2A focuses on enabling agents to communicate with each other, while LLMs.txt aims to help LLMs access web content more effectively. However, NLWeb stands out by offering a universal interface that caters to both human users and AI agents, making it a valuable addition to the emerging agentic web ecosystem.
Early adopters of NLWeb, including O’Reilly Media and Tripadvisor, are already reaping the benefits of the protocol. Andrew Odewahn, CTO at O’Reilly Media, sees NLWeb as a game-changer for enterprises looking to enhance their AI capabilities. NLWeb leverages existing web standards and best practices to make websites more AI-friendly, empowering companies to make their internal AI smarter and more capable.
While NLWeb presents a promising future for enterprise AI, experts suggest that substantial adoption may take a couple of years. Leading-edge companies with specific needs can consider piloting NLWeb to shape the standard and explore its potential benefits. Ultimately, NLWeb represents a pivotal moment for enterprise AI leaders, signaling a shift towards AI-enabled websites that cater to both human users and AI agents. The promise of NLWeb lies in its ability to bridge the gap between traditional websites and AI-powered experiences, paving the way for a more intelligent and interactive web ecosystem.
