AI Agents and the Future Web: Microsoft CTO Says It’s a Fix, Not a Threat

While some fear AI may dismantle the web as we know it, Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott believes it can revive and reshape it for the better. In a candid interview with The Verge, Scott outlined a vision for what he calls the “agentic web”, an internet powered by intelligent agents that act on behalf of users, not advertisers or platforms.

At the heart of this concept are AI-driven tools built on open standards, such as the Model Context Protocol (MCP). These agents could one day transform how people search, navigate, and interact online, streamlining tasks, summarizing complex information, and offering highly personalized web experiences.

Importantly, Scott argues that this shift could re-center control with content creators and site owners, rather than today’s algorithm-heavy platforms. By using AI to bring users directly to high-quality sources, the agentic web could reduce the dominance of SEO-driven content and clickbait.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Scott is clear-eyed about current limitations: today’s AI still lacks deep reasoning and often struggles with accuracy. He also emphasizes the importance of ethical safeguards, particularly in areas such as content attribution, fair compensation for creators, and the responsible use of AI models.

Rather than replace the web, Scott believes AI can help rebuild it into something more open, helpful, and equitable. “This is a reset moment,” he says—a chance to build an internet that serves people, not just platforms.

As AI agents evolve, they may not destroy the web, but instead become trusted guides that help us navigate it with greater purpose, privacy, and value.