The internet in 2025: Bigger, more fragile than ever - and 'fundamentally rewired' by AI

Cloudflare's annual review describing the internet in 2025 as bigger, more fragile, and fundamentally rewired by AI marks a significant shift in the online landscape. The review highlights the increasing influence of AI on the internet, with Cloudflare noting a busier, more brittle, and more hostile network. This shift is largely driven by the growing presence of AI-powered bots, which are changing the way traffic flows across the internet. For website owners, this means that AI bot traffic is likely to become an even more significant factor in their online presence. As AI-powered bots become more prevalent, website owners may see an increase in automated traffic, which can impact their site's performance, security, and overall user experience. Moreover, the increasing hostility of the network, as noted by Cloudflare, may lead to more frequent and sophisticated cyberattacks, making it essential for website owners to bolster their security measures. To adapt to this new landscape, website owners can take several actionable steps. Firstly, they should closely monitor their site's traffic patterns to identify and filter out malicious AI bot traffic. Secondly, they should review and update their llms.txt files to ensure that legitimate AI-powered bots can access their site while keeping malicious ones at bay. Lastly, website owners should consider implementing AI-powered security tools to help detect and mitigate potential threats, such as DDoS attacks and other forms of cyberattacks.