The Rise of Agentic Browsers and Impacts on Business and Marketing

Oct 31, 2025

Artificial-intelligence–powered browsers are emerging as a new paradigm in web navigation. In 2025, companies like Perplexity (with its Comet browser) and OpenAI (with ChatGPT Atlas) launched AI-integrated browsers that let the browser “agent” handle tasks on the user’s behalf (www.techradar.com) (www.reuters.com). Built on Chromium, these browsers embed chat assistants and summarize content, allowing users to search and act through conversation rather than traditional clicks (www.techradar.com) (www.reuters.com). Opera has also released its Neon AI browser with similar “agentic” task automation (www.reuters.com). In this new “agentic web,” AI agents – not humans – interact with content, reshaping the old click-based attention economy (www.digital-competition.com).

How Agentic Browsers Change Web Interactions

Unlike conventional browsers, agentic browsers can autonomously navigate, click, and complete multi-step activities for the user (www.pcgamer.com). For example, Atlas and Comet include features that automatically summarize pages, compare products, or even plan trips (www.reuters.com) (www.pcgamer.com). The goal is to turn browsing into a conversation with a digital assistant: users give natural-language commands and the browser’s AI executes them (www.pcgamer.com) (www.techradar.com). Instead of manually loading pages, the agent gathers information and presents curated answers or actions. In effect, AI browsers make web surfing more “passive” and task-driven (www.tomsguide.com): users often receive AI-generated summaries or results without clicking through to original sites.

This shift has several business implications:

• Traffic Reduction to Websites: Analysts warn that whenever AI summarizes content, users bypass the original sites. For example, one report estimates AI-driven searches could cut 60% of clicks on normal links, causing 15–25% drops in web traffic (www.lemonde.fr). Media outlets have already seen traffic declines (up to 60% in some cases) as AI assistants answer queries directly (www.kiplinger.com) (www.tomsguide.com).
• Change in User Attention: As the digital-competition analysis explains, content creators must now attract agent attention rather than human eyeballs (www.digital-competition.com). An AI agent picking products or articles might evaluate them differently than a human user, leading companies to rethink web layouts and ranking systems. In a recent study, researchers found that product rankings still influence AI agents’ choices, but each AI model may favor different positions (www.digital-competition.com). This suggests businesses may need to redesign websites and advertising placement to match AI browsing patterns (www.digital-competition.com).
• New Search Paradigm (AEO): Traditional search engine optimization (SEO) is giving way to Answer Engine Optimization. Marketers must ensure their content is “selected and cited” by AI assistants (www.lemonde.fr). As one expert puts it, SEO alone is no longer sufficient when tools like ChatGPT and Gemini act as intermediaries (www.lemonde.fr). Companies are encouraged to tailor content explicitly for AI systems (e.g. providing clear, structured answers) so that AI overviews and snippets will carry their brand voice (www.techradar.com).
• Privacy and Data Concerns: Embedding AI assistants in browsers raises serious privacy issues. Unlike simple cookies, these agents “analyze behavior, predict intent, and retain deeply personal user data” to function (www.techradar.com). Critics warn this amounts to a new form of surveillance; AI browsers could inadvertently expose personal details or be vulnerable to tracking (www.techradar.com) (www.windowscentral.com). This not only affects user trust but also complicates marketing data strategies, since regulations (like the EU AI Act) may soon impose stricter transparency and accountability on such AI tools (www.techradar.com).

Challenges for Marketing Strategies

The rise of agentic browsers introduces several specific challenges for marketing:

• Declining Web Traffic and Visibility: As AI assistants provide answers directly, websites lose pageviews and ad impressions. Media and content publishers fear their free, ad-supported model is threatened (www.tomsguide.com). For marketing, this means less organic traffic and fewer measurable “touch points.” Some analyses predict AI-driven searching could eliminate 60% of link clicks (www.lemonde.fr), making it much harder for brands to attract attention via traditional web channels.
• Obsolete Metrics and SEO: Old performance metrics (like page views and bounce rate) become less relevant (www.kiplinger.com). Since AI bots bypass many pages, marketers can no longer rely on ranking high in Google alone. Instead, they must ensure content is fed into AI knowledge: for instance, via partnerships, data licensing, or by training AI on proprietary content. In short, search engine marketing evolves into answer engine marketing, requiring new keyword and content strategies (www.techradar.com).
• Reduced Control Over Presentation: When an AI summarizes or answers queries, it may draw on multiple sources or present content in unexpected ways. Brands lose some control over how they appear in search results. For example, Atlas’s sidebar might compare products from different sites without any brand’s ad displayed (www.reuters.com). This aggregation can dilute paid advertising impact unless marketers find ways to be integrated into the AI agent’s workflow.
• Competitive and Monetization Shifts: Major tech players are embedding ads into these new browsers. OpenAI’s Atlas, for example, plans to monetize by selling ads in the AI interface (www.reuters.com). If users and tasks migrate from Chrome to AI browsers, even Google’s massive ad business could shrink (www.reuters.com). Marketers must watch for where ad spend shifts – into AI apps, in-chat promotions, or platform partnerships – and adjust budgets accordingly.
• Transparency and Trust Issues: With AI potentially hallucinating or misrepresenting information (apnews.com), marketers face challenges of credibility. Already, publishers like The New York Times are suing AI companies over content use (apnews.com). If users mistrust AI-generated content, marketing messages conveyed through these platforms may be scrutinized for accuracy and bias. Maintaining brand trust requires ensuring that AI-driven content remains faithful and transparent.

Adapting Marketing and Business Strategies
To cope with these challenges, businesses and marketers are advised to adapt along several fronts:

• Embrace “Answer Engine Optimization”: Update content so that AI assistants pick it up. This may mean structuring FAQs, using clear schema, or providing content explicitly for AI training. As Amanda Kopen of HubSpot notes, organizations should optimize not just for Google, but for AI overviews and snippets (www.techradar.com). Developing a distinctive brand voice and proprietary knowledge base can help AI assistants cite the company accurately (www.techradar.com).
• Invest in Owned Channels and Direct Engagement: Experts recommend building direct relationships with customers outside of open web search (www.kiplinger.com). This includes email newsletters, branded apps, loyalty programs, and social media parks where the brand controls the experience. Since page-view metrics may dwindle, metrics like customer engagement and retention become more important (www.kiplinger.com). Direct channels ensure the brand remains visible even if the open web is routed through AI.
• Explore New Monetization Models: Given that ad-based models may falter, companies should test alternative revenue streams. These include subscription services, “microtransactions” or “premium content” locked behind paywalls (www.kiplinger.com). For example, Perplexity launched a paid tier (Comet Plus) that shares revenue with content publishers (www.windowscentral.com). Similar schemes (like pay-per-crawl APIs) are being proposed across the industry to compensate creators. Marketing departments may need to sell value via these new models rather than rely solely on ad impressions.
• Collaborate with AI Platforms: Brands might form partnerships with AI firms rather than treat them as adversaries. This could involve licensing content data or co-developing APIs so the AI assistants access up-to-date product information. For instance, news outlets have begun negotiating with ChatGPT providers for “AI-ready” news feeds (apnews.com). By engaging proactively, marketers can influence what AI agents surface about their offerings.
• Focus on Privacy and Trust: Since AI browsers collect deep personal data, marketers must be vigilant (and forthcoming) about data practices. Respecting user privacy could become a competitive advantage. Firms should highlight transparent data policies, allow users to opt in, and avoid intrusive profiling (www.techradar.com). Demonstrating strong ethics can both comply with upcoming regulations and build consumer confidence in an AI-heavy future.

Overall, the agentic-browser trend signals a fundamental shift in the digital ecosystem. (www.digital-competition.com) (www.tomsguide.com) Web use may become more “AI-mediated,” requiring businesses to rethink how they earn attention and revenue. As several analysts suggest, success will depend on agility: companies that adapt to AI tools and preserve direct customer ties will fare better than those clinging to old web metrics (www.kiplinger.com) (www.digital-competition.com). The future of marketing in the agentic web will likely be defined by new optimization techniques (for AI), evolving content monetization, and a strong emphasis on user trust and privacy.

Key References: Industry reports of late 2025 highlight that AI browsers (Comet, Atlas, Neon) enable automated tasks and content summarization (www.techradar.com) (www.pcgamer.com). Analysts warn these features reduce site traffic and disrupt ad models (www.tomsguide.com) (www.lemonde.fr). Sources also detail how companies should adapt (e.g. by pivoting from SEO to AI-friendly content and developing owned engagement channels) to stay competitive in the evolving landscape (www.techradar.com) (www.kiplinger.com).