Building Startups for AI Agents

The Shift to Agent-First Infrastructure

The internet is transitioning from a human-user model to an agent-user model, where AI agents perform discovery, evaluation, and transactions. While human users prioritize persuasion and aesthetics, AI agents require structured capability, explicit permissions, and verifiable trust. Businesses must move beyond human-readable marketing sites to provide machine-readable interfaces that allow agents to safely execute tasks.

Making Websites Agent-Readable

To capture agent traffic, websites must expose structured data and functional endpoints rather than relying on traditional forms and static copy. Key requirements for agent-readability include:

• Implement structured documentation and schemas that clearly define API capabilities and constraints.
• Expose functionality via Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to allow agents to interact directly with backend services.
• Provide dedicated entry points (e.g., /agents) that offer machine-readable capability manifests, SDKs, and OAuth flows.
• Build executable support systems where agents can perform actions like refunds, rescheduling, or troubleshooting without human intervention.
• Offer sandboxed environments where agents can test workflows and verify outcomes before committing to transactions.

The Agent Buying Journey

Agents require specific infrastructure components to function as autonomous customers. Developers should build tools that provide agents with:

• Identity: Secure authentication to verify which agent is acting on behalf of a user or business.
• Wallets: Programmable payment interfaces with spend caps, approval rules, and audit trails.
• Inboxes: Dedicated communication channels for agents to receive OTPs, documents, and thread updates.
• Memory: Persistent storage for agent preferences, rules, and historical interaction data.
• Receipts: Standardized logs of actions taken, decisions made, and transactions completed for auditability.

Strategic Opportunities for Builders

The transition from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Agent Engine Optimization (AEO) creates a new market for infrastructure tools. Opportunities include building agent-specific analytics to track conversion rates, creating automated procurement agents that compare vendor documentation, and developing security layers for agent-to-agent communication.