I Was Bored With AI—Until It Drove Me Across Town

PCMag's publication of an article detailing a personal experience with robotaxis, where the author was driven across town by an AI-powered vehicle, highlights a significant shift in AI applications. The article notes that robotaxis are a more compelling use of AI compared to chatbots, which can be seen as hallucinating and sycophantic. This development means that website owners should be prepared for increased AI bot traffic from more sophisticated and specialized applications like robotaxis. As AI technology improves and becomes more integrated into various industries, website owners may see a rise in automated visits from AI-powered vehicles, drones, or other devices, which could impact their site's performance and analytics. To prepare for this shift, website owners can take a few actionable steps: first, review their llms.txt files to ensure they are properly configured to handle AI bot traffic from various sources, including robotaxis. Second, consider implementing AI-specific analytics tools to better understand and track automated visits to their site. Third, optimize their website's content and structure to accommodate the potential increase in AI-driven interactions, such as voice-based searches or autonomous device requests.