According to a recent report from Thales reviewed by Digital Trends Computing, automated traffic now exceeds half of all internet activity. This shift is largely fueled by AI-driven bots, which have drastically increased their presence and sophistication in 2025, raising new concerns about security and the nature of web interactions.
- Bots now generate over half of global web traffic, with AI-driven automation on the rise.
- Malicious AI bots are causing increased security risks by attacking APIs and financial systems.
- Legitimate bot activity remains important, but the security landscape is under growing strain.
Product angle
The Thales Bad Bot report offers a data-driven insight into the evolving internet traffic landscape, according to the source review from Digital Trends Computing. This research highlights how automated agents, including both benign and malicious bots, now represent the majority of online interactions. Artificial intelligence is a key factor behind rising bot activity, with sophisticated AI bots able to interact with applications and APIs in ways that mimic legitimate human use.
This analysis positions bot management and cybersecurity tools as critical components for organizations aiming to defend against these emerging threats. Firms must now differentiate between types of bot traffic and identify malicious intent beyond mere automation detection. The report underscores the complexity introduced by AI bots, challenging older security paradigms and necessitating advanced, behavior-based bot mitigation solutions.
Best for / avoid if
This intelligence is particularly valuable for enterprises within financial services, ecommerce, and API-driven digital platforms, which are frequent targets of bot-related attacks. Financial services faced 24% of all bot attacks and nearly half of all account takeovers, reflecting the high stakes involved. Organizations with extensive backend infrastructures vulnerable to automated exploitation will benefit from enhanced bot detection and mitigation capabilities.
Conversely, small businesses or individual site operators with minimal backend API exposure may find comprehensive bot management solutions cost-prohibitive or unnecessarily complex. Additionally, sectors relying heavily on open access or public data crawling may need cautious deployment to avoid blocking legitimate automated services such as search engine crawlers and accessibility tools.
Pricing and alternatives to check
While the source article does not specify pricing details for bot management technologies, market offerings typically range from subscription-based security platforms to integrated API protection services. Buyers should evaluate vendor proposals based on their ability to detect AI-driven bots, manage real-time traffic analysis, and provide customizable response controls aligned with organizational risk tolerance.
Alternative solutions to consider include established web application firewalls (WAFs) with bot filtering features, dedicated bot mitigation tools from niche cybersecurity providers, and cloud-native security platforms that incorporate behavioral analytics. Portfolio comparisons should focus on adaptability to emerging AI threats, scalability in high-traffic environments, and integration ease with existing IT infrastructure.