Microsoft Build 2025: Everything You Need to Know About Microsoft's AI chatbots for Websites

On May 19, 2025, at its Build developer conference, Microsoft introduced NLWeb, an open protocol designed to enable any website to host its own AI chatbot. With just a few lines of code, site owners can integrate a conversational interface powered by their choice of AI model and their own data. This move by the tech giant will reduce reliance on centralized tools like ChatGPT and Bing.

Also read: Microsoft Build 2025: Top 5 announcements highlights from the developer conference

What Can The NLWeb Do?

NLWeb-powered chatbots can perform a variety of tasks tailored to the website’s content. For instance, a cooking site can implement a chatbot that suggests recipes based on available ingredients, while a retail site can assist users in finding products that match specific criteria. These chatbots operate using the website’s data, ensuring responses are relevant and contextually appropriate.

How Does Microsoft’s AI Chatbot Work?

The NLWeb framework leverages existing web formats like schema.org and RSS to understand and process website content. Developers can select an AI model that best suits their needs, integrating it with their site’s data to create a responsive chatbot. Additionally, NLWeb supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), allowing websites to make their content accessible to AI platforms that adhere to this standard.

Who Needs These Chatbots?

Most businesses and organizations can enhance user interaction on their websites using NLWeb. Microsoft is also collaborating with companies such as TripAdvisor and Shopify to explore NLWeb’s potential.

With a conversational interface, websites can offer personalized assistance, help users navigate smoothly, and improve the overall experience. Apart from e-commerce platforms we saw above, educational resources, and content-rich websites can also benefit by making their information more accessible.

Wrapping Up

While there are other notable announcements by Microsoft apart from AI chatbots for websites, it is interesting to see how it affects website browsing over the coming years. NLWeb is currently available in preview, with Microsoft encouraging developers and site owners to experiment with the protocol and provide feedback.