Agentic web needs new normative infrastructure, warn researchers as platform agents rise
_akpiper · x · 2026-10-02
- Citing the new paper "The Agentic Web Requires New Normative Infrastructure" (arXiv:2606.10711), Seth Lazar warns that platform agents like Muse, Dot and GrokBot will first be blocked by platforms like Amazon and X, then companies will strike cozy deals to extract value from users.
- The paper (Cameron Pattison, Matthew Boulos, Noam Kolt, Changbai Li, Tiziano Piccardi, Seth Lazar) argues the agentic web is technically feasible but obstructed by outdated laws, terms of service and secret platform practices, with little distinction between malicious bots and agents acting under a user's delegated authority.
- Beyond protocols and interfaces, the authors call for a "normative infrastructure" — widely accepted laws, norms and practices governing agent access — and a society-wide conversation to enable delegated agents to act on users' behalf with minimal restrictions.
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