NLWeb is Microsoft's project to bring more chatbots to webpages | TechCrunch
May 19, 2025 - techcrunch.com
Microsoft has announced the launch of NLWeb, an open project aimed at simplifying the creation of AI-powered chatbots for websites. Unveiled at Build 2025, NLWeb allows websites to integrate a conversational interface with minimal coding, using any AI model and their own data. This tool enables various applications, such as a retailer developing a chatbot to assist with clothing selection or a cooking site creating a bot to suggest recipe pairings. Additionally, NLWeb can make web content discoverable and accessible to AI platforms supporting Anthropic’s MCP standard, enhancing interaction with web content in a semantic manner.
The project may have roots in technology from OpenAI, a close collaborator with Microsoft. Previously, OpenAI worked with companies like Condé Nast and Redfin to develop early versions of NLWeb, aiming to bring ChatGPT-like features to websites. Despite initial delays due to technical challenges, NLWeb is now ready for deployment, potentially differing from OpenAI's original vision. This initiative positions NLWeb as a foundational tool for the "agentic web," akin to the role HTML plays in web development.
Key takeaways:
Microsoft is launching an open project called NLWeb to simplify building AI-powered chatbots on the web.
NLWeb allows websites to provide a conversational interface with minimal code and supports integration with AI models and data.
Webpages using NLWeb can make content discoverable to AI platforms supporting MCP, Anthropic’s standard for AI model connectivity.
NLWeb may have origins in OpenAI technology and was initially pitched as a way to add ChatGPT-like features to websites.
