API Rate Limiting Design Shifts to Accommodate Agent Traffic Patterns

## Agents Don't Request Like Humans Do A human clicking through a web app generates a slow, irregular trickle of requests. An agent completing a multi-step task can fire dozens of calls in seconds, then go quiet for minutes -- a pattern that breaks rate limiters tuned for human behavior. ## The Redesign in Progress More APIs are moving from flat per-minute caps toward token-bucket or credit-based systems that tolerate short bursts while still capping sustained load, alongside separate limits for agent-authenticated traffic versus browser sessions. ## Why It Matters for Builders Agent-facing products that don't account for this end up either throttling legitimate agent workflows mid-task or leaving themselves exposed to runaway automated load -- getting the limit shape right is becoming a first-class API design decision, not an afterthought.