AGENTS.md
An instruction file for autonomous AI agents that defines what they can access and how to navigate your website on users’ behalf.
Plain Language Definition
AGENTS.md is an instruction file placed on a website that tells autonomous AI bots how to navigate and use your content — what they are permitted to access, which tools they can use, and how your data is organized. As AI agents increasingly browse the web autonomously on behalf of users, AGENTS.md lets you control and facilitate that access rather than leaving it to chance.
Technical Definition
Root-level directory file defining permissions, tool schemas, navigation guidelines, and capability declarations for autonomous AI agents — the agentic-web equivalent of robots.txt, extended with positive capability declarations rather than just access restrictions.
Why This Matters for AI Search Visibility
AI agents performing tasks on behalf of users — researching, booking, purchasing — will increasingly navigate the web autonomously. AGENTS.md lets businesses specify exactly how those agents should interact with their site, enabling productive agent access while managing permissions and directing agents to the most relevant resources.