# MIT Technology Review: an internet built for AI agents may worsen the web for humans

- Published: 2026-10-19T18:22:47.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-19T22:06:21.535Z
- Section: Market
- Topics: Agents, Business
- Page: https://aidailyjournal.com/en/n/2026/10/19/mit-technology-review-an-internet-built-for-ai-agents-may-worsen-the-web-for-hum/
- Sources: [MIT Technology Review](https://technologyreview.com/2026/10/19/1147186/making-the-internet-better-for-ai-agents-might-make-it-worse-for-everyone-else)

## Summary

MIT Technology Review argues that personal AI agents are creating a third category of web visitor: neither humans nor conventional bots, but systems that act on people’s behalf and operate at machine speed. According to the publication, Meta’s Muse reached 5 million downloads in its first month, while agentic web traffic tripled from August to September. Websites including Pizza Hut and Yelp are already presenting difficulties for these agents; Amazon has blocked Muse’s agents and is also seeking to block Perplexity’s, arguing that they threaten its advertising business. A judge recently ruled in Perplexity’s favor, but Amazon appealed.

The publication says that if demand continues to grow, platforms may prioritize agents because of their e-commerce potential. Shopify is already giving them checkout lanes that bypass pages designed for humans. The result, the analysis says, could be a less convenient web for people who still want to browse, compare products and use services directly.

## Why it matters (editorial interpretation)

The dispute described between platforms and agents could influence who controls access to purchases and services on the web. If sites prioritize agent-oriented flows, the publication’s analysis suggests that people may have less room to browse and compare directly—a shift with commercial and user-experience implications.

_Summary written by AI Daily Journal in its own words, based on the sources above. For details, read the original articles._