AI bots make online anonymity harder as Google tests Incognito verification

Google is testing a sign-in prompt in Incognito mode to verify users are human, signaling a shift from behavior-based checks to identity verification as AI bots multiply online. Bots generated 53% of global internet traffic in 2025, with 40% malicious or unverified. Modern AI bots mimic natural browsing, making CAPTCHAs and behavioral detection unreliable. Google's reported Incognito test suggests anonymous browsing itself may now be treated as a weaker signal requiring extra verification. Anonymous access remains vital for journalists, researchers, and privacy-conscious users. Publishers and platforms are also restricting AI crawlers to protect revenue, so anonymity may not disappear but could face increasing friction.