Google-Agent vs Googlebot: Google Defines the Technical Boundary Between User Triggered AI Access and Search Crawling Systems Today

Google has introduced Google-Agent, a new technical entity distinct from Googlebot, to differentiate user-activated AI requests from automated web crawling. This distinction is crucial for developers managing server logs and understanding how Google's AI systems interact with websites. Google-Agent operates under different rules than traditional autonomous crawlers, marking a significant shift in how Google integrates AI across its product portfolio.