Google Executive Questions LLMs.txt Standard: Compares It to Outdated Keywords Meta Tag
Google Executive Downplays LLMs.txt Usefulness, Compares It to Obsolete Keywords Meta Tag
Google's Search Advocate John Mueller has cast doubt on the effectiveness of LLMs.txt, a proposed standard for AI content presentation, likening it to the largely abandoned keywords meta tag. His assessment comes amid growing evidence that major AI services are not utilizing this emerging format.
Why It Matters
The discussion surrounding LLMs.txt highlights the ongoing challenge of managing AI bot interactions with websites, while raising questions about the practical value of new proposed standards in the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape for AI technologies.
Current Implementation and Usage
LLMs.txt, despite being promoted as a solution for AI content consumption, has shown limited practical application. A hosting provider managing over 20,000 domains reported minimal bot interaction with LLMs.txt files, noting only niche services like BuiltWith actively accessing these resources.
"AFAIK none of the AI services have said they're using LLMs.TXT," Mueller stated on Reddit, adding that server logs confirm the lack of AI bot engagement with these files. This observation aligns with broader trends in modern search engine optimization practices.
Technical Limitations and Concerns
Several key issues have emerged regarding LLMs.txt implementation:
- Redundancy with existing content
- Potential for misuse through content manipulation
- Lack of support from major AI providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google
- Poor user experience due to citation management issues
The implementation challenges mirror those faced in successful cloud computing implementation strategies.
Industry Expert Perspectives
Simone De Palma, a digital professional who initiated the discussion on Reddit, later expanded his concerns on LinkedIn: "LLMs.txt files seem to be ignored by #AI services and offer little to no real benefit to website owners."
Other industry professionals have suggested that efforts would be better directed toward established practices. One expert recommended focusing on "structured data done properly, robots.txt and the various sitemaps" instead of LLMs.txt implementation.
According to a recent MIT Technology Review article, the evolution of LLMs continues to challenge traditional web protocols and standards.
The lack of adoption by major AI services and limited practical benefits suggest that LLMs.txt may remain a conceptual solution rather than a widely implemented standard for AI content interaction.
