Mueller: Test E-commerce Sites for AI

John Mueller, a prominent figure at Google, has drawn attention to an experiment that explored how effectively ecommerce websites can be navigated by AI agents. These AI agents are designed to browse and shop on behalf of real users, making it increasingly important for online retailers to ensure their sites are accessible to this emerging technology.

In a recent post, Mueller suggested that businesses and SEO specialists may want to start including checks for AI agent compatibility as part of their routine website audits. As the role of artificial intelligence in consumer behaviour continues to grow, making sure that ecommerce platforms are readable and functional for AI-driven tools could soon become a key factor in maintaining visibility and competitiveness online.

AI Agent Experiment On Ecommerce Sites

Malte Polzin recently shared his insights on LinkedIn about an experiment where he assessed whether the top 50 Swiss ecommerce websites were accessible to shoppers using ChatGPT agents.

While the majority of the online stores were compatible with ChatGPT’s AI-powered browsing, a few were found to be inaccessible due to certain technical barriers.

Some of the key obstacles included CAPTCHA systems that restricted the AI’s progress, Cloudflare’s Turnstile tool (a CAPTCHA alternative), maintenance pages set up by the websites, and bot protection systems that blocked automated access entirely.

Google’s John Mueller Offers Advice

John Mueller from Google has suggested that ecommerce businesses should consider whether their websites are accessible to shoppers using AI agents. As agent-driven browsing becomes more common, it’s worth ensuring your site accommodates these technologies.

He advised:
“A quick tip – check if your online store works properly for customers using popular AI agents. If you’re overwhelmed with demand and don’t want more traffic, feel free to skip it.

Sometimes, bot detection systems mistakenly block AI agents, which can create a frustrating experience. (Cue the deeper conversation about whether agents behave more like users or bots, and whether we should focus on their behaviour rather than their user-agent labels.)”

Should SEOs Add Agentic AI Testing To Site Audits?

SEO professionals might want to start including checks for AI agent accessibility when auditing ecommerce websites. It’s also possible that other types of sites, such as those offering local services, could benefit from making sure AI agents can interact with features like online forms.