Moving past bots vs. humans

This post explores the evolving landscape of web protection, moving beyond the 'bots vs. humans' dichotomy to focus on client intent and behavior. It details how the traditional client-server model and the implicit agreements of the web are being disrupted by AI agents that bypass browser rendering. The post outlines current bot management strategies based on passive client signals (IP, TLS), active client signals (User-Agent, credentials), and server signals (location, time). It highlights the rate limit trilemma (decentralized, anonymous, accountable) and discusses how the blurring lines between bots and humans necessitate a shift towards understanding client intent for effective web protection and resource management.