At its Build 2025 conference on Monday, Microsoft unveiled an innovative open initiative known as NLWeb, short for Natural Language Web. This project aims to create a user-friendly interface for websites that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) models, enabling them to respond to natural language queries posed by users. Microsoft envisions NLWeb as a groundbreaking advancement in the development of AI-enabled websites, akin to the transformative impact of HTML on web design.
Microsoft Foresees NLWeb Transforming Websites Into AI Applications
In an announcement released through its newsroom, Microsoft shared insights about NLWeb, representing the company’s aspirations for the future of web experiences. The proposed technology will empower every web page with AI capabilities to manage and respond to inquiries made in natural language, replacing conventional search boxes with AI-driven chatbot interfaces.
According to the company, NLWeb offers “the fastest and easiest way to effectively turn your website into an AI app,” allowing users to interact with site content using natural language, much like they would with an AI assistant or Copilot. However, the potential of NLWeb extends beyond merely enabling AI chatbots on web pages.
Each AI-equipped website built under the NLWeb framework will also function as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. This protocol, developed by Anthropic, serves as a universal and open standard that facilitates the connection of AI systems with external data sources. By adhering to this protocol, NLWeb websites will ensure that their content becomes accessible and crawlable for AI agents and others engaged in the MCP ecosystem.
This initiative promises to establish a new paradigm for web architecture, wherein the interconnected network of NLWeb-compatible sites will be easily navigated by AI agents for data retrieval and execution of tasks. “Ultimately, we believe NLWeb can play a similar role to HTML in the emerging agentic web,” the company remarked.
Microsoft is optimistic that NLWeb will contribute to the creation of an AI agent-friendly internet, fostering the development of browser-based agentic tools. This could allow AI agents to undertake increasingly complex responsibilities beyond simple online purchases. Such capabilities could include negotiations with a brand’s sales team, validating warranties, securing discounts, and autonomously managing product returns.
Furthermore, Microsoft emphasizes that NLWeb is designed to be technology-agnostic, supporting all major operating systems, AI models, and vector databases. The initiative was conceptualized and brought to fruition by RV Guha, a recently appointed Corporate Vice President and Technical Fellow at the company.
