The Potential Menace of the Agentic Web for the Focus-Based Market System
The digital landscape is witnessing a significant transformation, as businesses are starting to pivot towards AI-first strategies to stay relevant in the face of change. This shift marks the end of an era for the internet's 25-year-old business model, which relied on the Browse → Click → Attention pyramid.
For decades, platforms like Google, Meta, and Apple have extracted value from human curiosity, turning page views into profit. However, the emergence of AI agents signifies a genuine architectural threat to the attention economy.
The shift towards AI agents is not optional for businesses. The Old Web is being replaced by the Agentic Web, a new digital realm where agents shop across catalogues instantly, summarise and compare sources for research, and handle pricing, terms, and scheduling in negotiations.
These agents are outcome-oriented, eliminating the need for browsing, ads, SEO, and funnels. Unlike humans, they don't consume content for entertainment; they extract answers. As a result, attention is no longer the bottleneck in the Agentic Web, execution is the new currency.
The most important companies currently developing AI assistants for the Agentic Web include NTT DATA, Deutsche Telekom, Laiye, and Stellar Cyber. NTT DATA offers a full-service approach with its Smart AI Agent™ Ecosystem, while Deutsche Telekom partners with startups like n8n to develop AI agents for various business sectors. Laiye provides intelligent automation platforms, emphasising responsible leadership in digital organisations, and Stellar Cyber applies agentic AI to enhance cybersecurity functions and responses.
The rise of AI agents also means that humans are no longer the primary "clickers." Instead, AI agents are emerging as intermediaries between people and the web. To remain competitive, businesses must cultivate direct loyalty and repeat engagement to reduce platform reliance.
Standards and trust frameworks will define how agents choose vendors, products, and services. Companies must expose their value through APIs, making data, inventory, and pricing machine-readable. APIs, direct trust, and agent integration are the new distribution rails in the Agentic Web.
In the Agentic Web, monetisation occurs via integration and direct access, not via attention and ads. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for businesses. Those stuck in the old model (clicks, CPMs, engagement farming) will face decline, while those who embrace APIs, direct relationships, and agent protocols will capture the new flow.
Agents reduce serendipity, and companies must compete for preferential treatment by agents through Agent Optimization. As we navigate this transition, it's clear that the Agentic Web will reshape the digital landscape, and businesses must adapt to thrive in this new era.
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