Microsoft has launched NLWeb, an open project aimed at simplifying the integration of AI-powered chatbots on websites. Announced at Build 2025, NLWeb enables web developers to add a conversational interface to their sites using a few lines of code, their preferred AI model, and their own data.
With NLWeb, a retailer can create a chatbot that assists users in selecting clothing for specific occasions, while a cooking website can build a bot that suggests complementary dishes to a recipe. The project allows web pages to optionally make their content discoverable and accessible to AI platforms supporting MCP, Anthropic’s standard for connecting AI models to data sources.
Microsoft describes NLWeb as playing a role similar to HTML for the “agentic web,” enabling users to interact directly with web content in a rich, semantic manner. The company believes this can enhance user experience by providing more intuitive interactions with web content.
The origins of NLWeb are unclear, but it may be linked to technology developed by OpenAI, Microsoft’s close collaborator. According to a report by The Information, OpenAI was working on an early version of NLWeb last November with partners such as Condé Nast, Redfin, Eventbrite, and Priceline. OpenAI initially pitched the technology as a means for brands to integrate ChatGPT-like conversational features into their websites, but the project faced technical delays.
Microsoft’s NLWeb appears to be ready for implementation, potentially in a different form than OpenAI had originally envisioned. By making NLWeb an open project, Microsoft is opening up the possibility for widespread adoption and further development by the developer community.
