This issue was created because the 'horizontal review requested' label was added to § https://github.com/w3c/strategy/issues/511

This review is requested prior to the Advisory Committee Review.

Evaluation

cc: @dontcallmedom The rapid growth of AI technologies both inside and outside W3C increasingly impact the Web. Currently, there is no single, official place within W3C to coordinate broad AI-related discussions. Existing groups are either narrowly focused (like WebML WG) or fragmented across overlapping Community Groups. To address this, we propose establishing a Web & AI Interest Group to serve as a formal entry point for AI discussions—tracking trends, connecting groups, supporting workshops(e.g., web and AI Agent workshop), and exploring how AI agents protocols may influence the Web.

• Draft Charter

Draft Charter

Expected end of charter refinement phase: End of August

• Will this work help to lead the web to its full potential?

Yes. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, AI becomes embedded in Web applications, browsers, and other web infrastructure, there is a growing need for coordination across standardization efforts.

• Is the work Rec-track ready?

No, this is an IG, Deliverables will be AI-related reports.

• Do we have the ecosystem of participants needed to make the work successful?

Yes. The group could draw from a diverse ecosystem across AI and Web stakeholders:

1. Participants could come from W3C Members, including browser vendors, cloud providers, telecoms, academic institutions, and AI companies, and users (e.g., Google, Microsoft, ByteDance, Huawei, China Mobile)

2. Interest: Early support could come from participants in the W3C team who are interested in AI stuff, WebML WG, Webagent CG, AI Agent Protocol CG, etc

3. Related existing W3C web tech: WebNN, WASM, WebGPU, RDF/JSON-LD, AI APIs in WebML CG, DID, VC, etc

The group is also planning to coordinate with external orgs such as the IETF and ITU-T.

digging deeper:

Will we be able to make it succeed?

• right participants interested. What does the ecosystem look like? W3C Members from browser vendors, cloud providers, telecoms, academic institutions, AI companies, and users.
• implementation likely No implementation expected.
• manageably sized problem Need to find Chairs to support this work.
• achievable timeline 2-year recharter
• minimum viable product Outputs: reports, workshops, and coordination outcomes
• does it raise architectural issues that need to be addressed before it can succeed? Not yet.

Special considerations?

• risk factors The main challenge is sustained engagement and maintaining relevance amid rapid AI evolution
• incentives The growing influence of AI on the Web presents an opportunity to explore its long-term impact, identify future standardization paths, and help shape the AI-related Web technologies.
• openness, decentralization All deliverables will be public; group discussions will be conducted on GitHub and public mailing lists.

Procedural

• Advance notice to AC when team feel a WG charter is likely to be developed, we send "advance notice" to the AC and public-new-work.
• Horizontal review: in this phase, team should request review of charter-in-development from a11y, i18n, arctec, privsec.

Charter facilitator(s)

cc @ruoxiran

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