Artificial Intelligence Bots Overwhelming the Web, Publishers Scramble for Defense
A new report from TollBit reveals that AI-powered bots are increasingly making their presence known on the web, taking a significant share of online traffic and prompting publishers to step up their defenses.
The rise of AI-powered virtual assistants like OpenClaw has marked the beginning of an arms race as these autonomous agents deploy sophisticated tactics to outsmart website security measures. According to TollBit, in the fourth quarter of 2025, one in every 31 website visits came from an AI bot, a significant increase from just one in every 200 such visits.
One major threat to publishers is the increasing sophistication of AI-powered web scraping technology. Many bots are now disguised as legitimate traffic to avoid detection by website security measures, making it challenging for sites to discern between human and machine-generated traffic.
To counter this growing threat, some companies are developing tools that allow website owners to charge AI scrapers for accessing their content. For instance, TollBit markets its own tool that helps businesses generate revenue from the content being scraped.
However, not all parties view these developments as negative. Some firms argue that web scraping is a legitimate use case, particularly in industries such as cybersecurity and investigative journalism. Companies like ScrapingBee emphasize that public web pages are meant to be accessible and that their bots respect this principle.
As AI-powered search engines continue to grow, the demand for AI-trained content is on the rise, creating new business opportunities for companies catering to these needs. Brandlight's Uri Gafni notes that we can expect this trend to intensify in 2026, with marketing channels converging and surfacing content for AI agents becoming a key strategy.
Overall, the increasing presence of AI-powered bots on the web has significant implications for publishers and website owners, highlighting the need for robust security measures to protect their online content from these sophisticated threats.
A new report from TollBit reveals that AI-powered bots are increasingly making their presence known on the web, taking a significant share of online traffic and prompting publishers to step up their defenses.
The rise of AI-powered virtual assistants like OpenClaw has marked the beginning of an arms race as these autonomous agents deploy sophisticated tactics to outsmart website security measures. According to TollBit, in the fourth quarter of 2025, one in every 31 website visits came from an AI bot, a significant increase from just one in every 200 such visits.
One major threat to publishers is the increasing sophistication of AI-powered web scraping technology. Many bots are now disguised as legitimate traffic to avoid detection by website security measures, making it challenging for sites to discern between human and machine-generated traffic.
To counter this growing threat, some companies are developing tools that allow website owners to charge AI scrapers for accessing their content. For instance, TollBit markets its own tool that helps businesses generate revenue from the content being scraped.
However, not all parties view these developments as negative. Some firms argue that web scraping is a legitimate use case, particularly in industries such as cybersecurity and investigative journalism. Companies like ScrapingBee emphasize that public web pages are meant to be accessible and that their bots respect this principle.
As AI-powered search engines continue to grow, the demand for AI-trained content is on the rise, creating new business opportunities for companies catering to these needs. Brandlight's Uri Gafni notes that we can expect this trend to intensify in 2026, with marketing channels converging and surfacing content for AI agents becoming a key strategy.
Overall, the increasing presence of AI-powered bots on the web has significant implications for publishers and website owners, highlighting the need for robust security measures to protect their online content from these sophisticated threats.
... i mean think about it, we're already living in a world where our personal data is being harvested by corporations and governments, now it feels like we're losing control of the information we put out there on the web. these AI bots are like ghosts, invisible and undetectable until they've sucked up all the content they can. its like, what does this say about our relationship with technology? are we just ceding power to machines because we think its convenient or something? 
. I get that AI tech is advancing at an insane rate, but it's crazy how quickly these bots are taking over the web 
. On one hand, some companies see web scraping as legit and even beneficial for their businesses 
, which I can kinda understand. But on the other hand, there's gotta be a way to protect publishers' work from being exploited 
. Maybe we need more transparency about who's behind these bots and what they're doing with our online content 
? It's like, we're living in a virtual Wild West out here 
, and I'm not sure who's gonna lasso this whole AI thing 
.
. I mean, I remember when Google was just a search engine and that's it! Now, it's like they're everywhere 
. And these bots are so smart, they can trick you into thinkin' they're human 
.
It's like, what's next? AI bots gonna start makin' their own content and sellin' it as human work 
?
. I mean, I've seen some of these website security systems and they're like tryin' to hold water in a leaky bucket 
. It's just not designed for this level of sophistication.
. Brandlight's Uri Gafni is spot on about the marketing channels convergin' and surfacing content for AI agents becomein' a thing 
. It's just... I wish we had more control over our own online content 
.
. I mean, can you imagine a world where you need an algorithm to have conversations with you? It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie 
. We just gotta be smart about how we use AI and make sure it's working for us, not against us 
. And with AI-powered search engines on the rise, it's going to be interesting to see how marketing channels evolve in 2026 
. Bring on the changes! 
I'm pretty sure I'd lose if I tried to outsmart them too lol. But seriously though, it seems kinda crazy that some companies are making money off of the stuff that others can't even control. Can we just have a system where everyone gets a fair shot at using the internet? 
. I mean, I get it, they're just trying to make a living, but can't they see how much damage they're causing? One in every 31 website visits now? It's crazy! And the worst part is that some of them are disguising themselves as human traffic, making it impossible for websites to tell who's real and who's not 
. It's like, hello! There's still people out there who care about the content we create 
.
... it's like they're trying to steal our stuff 
.
But for real, what's next? AI-powered influencers taking over social media? 
That would be a whole new level of drama! 
gotta stay on top of security measures 
. idk what the solution is, but maybe we need to just rethink how we view web scraping and ai-powered bots - are they really a threat or can they also help us find the good stuff?