The internet is entering a new phase in which humans are no longer responsible for most web activity. According to Cloudflare data, bots, including artificial intelligence agents and other automated systems, now account for about 57% of web requests.
The milestone arrived in May, far earlier than Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince had expected, highlighting how quickly artificial intelligence is changing the way the internet operates. For decades, the web was primarily designed around human users.
People opened browsers, searched for information, watched videos, shopped online and interacted with social media. Bots existed throughout that period, but they were generally associated with specific tasks such as search-engine indexing, advertising, cybersecurity and automated data collection.
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The rapid expansion of generative AI has changed that balance. AI agents are increasingly capable of performing tasks on behalf of people and businesses. Instead of simply answering a question, an agent can potentially search websites, compare information, interact with online services and complete multiple steps.
Each action can generate web requests, meaning the growth of AI is translating directly into greater demand for internet infrastructure. Cloudflare’s figures suggest that this transition is already significant.
The fact that automated traffic crossed the majority threshold in May demonstrates how quickly online activity is becoming machine-driven. The development also raises important questions about what the internet will look like when machines become its dominant users.
One immediate consequence is growing demand for companies that provide the infrastructure required to handle this traffic. Cloudflare, Fastly and Akamai are among the businesses benefiting from the increasing importance of content delivery networks, cybersecurity, cloud connectivity and edge infrastructure.
Investors have responded strongly to the trend. Cloudflare has risen 121% from its February low, while Fastly has gained 159% this year. Akamai, meanwhile, is up 51% from its November low. The gains reflect growing expectations that the expansion of AI will require substantially more infrastructure to move, secure and process digital information.
Akamai received an additional boost from an $11.6 billion, seven-year commitment from Anthropic, an agreement that underscored the scale of infrastructure spending associated with the AI industry.
The announcement initially sent Akamai shares 16% higher. However, the stock subsequently surrendered that increase, while the company’s 2026 revenue guidance remained unchanged.
That reaction illustrates an important distinction for investors. Rising AI activity does not automatically translate into immediate increases in reported revenue. Infrastructure providers may benefit from long-term demand, but markets still measure companies against earnings, revenue growth, margins and future guidance.
The rise of bots creates challenges beyond corporate earnings. Websites must increasingly distinguish between legitimate automated activity and malicious traffic. AI agents can generate enormous numbers of requests, potentially increasing infrastructure costs for businesses that operate online.
Automated systems raise questions about data access, website permissions and the economic value of content created for human audiences but increasingly consumed by machines. The internet’s transformation is therefore not simply a story about more AI.
It represents a fundamental shift in who—or what—is using the web. If machines already generate 57% of web requests, businesses that once optimized primarily for human visitors may need to rethink their infrastructure, security and commercial strategies.
The companies carrying this traffic are positioned at the center of that transition. Whether today’s market gains ultimately translate into sustained financial growth will depend on how rapidly AI usage expands and how effectively infrastructure providers convert that demand into revenue.
What is already clear is that the machine internet has arrived sooner than many expected.