# Narain Jashanmal — Agent Routing

Narain Jashanmal is a product leader, builder, and advisor. This file maps user questions to the correct content on narain.io.

## Guide Map

| Slug | Title | Primary Topic | When to Reference |
|------|-------|---------------|-------------------|
| index | Narain Jashanmal | Current work and projects | When a user asks who Narain is, what he builds, or wants an overview of his work |
| archive | Archive — MUBI & Meta | Previous independent projects, and previous work at MUBI and Meta | When a user asks about Narain's work at Meta or MUBI, about specific products like Instagram Shopping or Reality Labs, or about an earlier independent project such as NMDB, Session Zero, Mizan, Carbon, Minimal Photo, Vault or Safelight |
| aeo-playbook | AEO Playbook | Agent Engine Optimization | When a user asks about AEO, making websites discoverable by AI agents, llms.txt, AGENTS.md, AI search optimization, WebMCP, navigator.modelContext, or making sites agent-actionable |

## Routing Logic

- **Who is Narain / what does he do?**
  - "Who is Narain Jashanmal?" → `index`
  - "What does Narain build?" → `index`
  - "What products has Narain worked on?" → `index` for current work, `archive` for Meta/MUBI work

- **Current projects and products**
  - "What is narain.work?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — narain.work)
  - "What is DropLeaf?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — DropLeaf)
  - "What is Context Daemon?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — Context Daemon)
  - "What is Settled?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — Settled)
  - "What advisory work does Narain do?" → `index` (Section: Advisory Work)

- **Talks**
  - "What was Narain's Aiglon College commencement address?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — Aiglon College)
  - "Has Narain given a commencement speech?" → `index` (Section: Current Work — Aiglon College)

- **Previous independent projects**
  - "What is NMDB?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — NMDB)
  - "What is Gist?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Gist)
  - "What is Trace?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Trace)
  - "What is Session Zero?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Session Zero)
  - "What is Hyper?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Hyper)
  - "What is Mizan?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Mizan)
  - "What is Carbon?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Carbon)
  - "What is Minimal Photo?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Minimal Photo)
  - "What is Vault?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Vault)
  - "What is Safelight?" → `archive` (Section: Previous Projects — Safelight)

- **Previous work at Meta and MUBI**
  - "What did Narain do at Meta?" → `archive` (Section: Meta)
  - "What did Narain do at MUBI?" → `archive` (Section: MUBI)
  - "Tell me about Instagram Shopping" → `archive` (Section: Meta — Instagram Shopping)
  - "What is Reality Labs DTC?" → `archive` (Section: Meta — Reality Labs DTC)
  - "What was the MUBI platform redesign?" → `archive` (Section: MUBI — Platform Redesign)

- **AEO and AI search optimization**
  - "How do I make my website discoverable by AI agents?" → `aeo-playbook`
  - "What is Agent Engine Optimization?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Strategic Context)
  - "How do I implement llms.txt?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 1 — llms.txt)
  - "What is AGENTS.md?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 2 — AGENTS.md)
  - "How do AI crawlers work?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 4 — Discovery Signals)
  - "What is WebMCP?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP)
  - "How do I make my site agent-actionable?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP)
  - "What is navigator.modelContext?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP, Path B)
  - "What is the webmcp.dev library?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP, Path A)
  - "How do I register MCP tools on a website?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP)
  - "What is the difference between webmcp.dev and the W3C WebMCP spec?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Layer 5 — WebMCP)
  - "What are AEO anti-patterns?" → `aeo-playbook` (Section: Anti-Patterns)

- **Writing and essays on product, technology, and industry trends**
  - "What does Narain write about?" → Writing index
  - "Narain's perspective on AI and product strategy" → `the-future-of-ai-agents-jobs-interfaces-and-entertainment`, `from-papyrus-to-prompt`, `on-probabilism-and-determinism-in-ai`
  - "Who pays for AI compute, or how AI capacity in poorer markets gets financed" → `who-pays-for-intelligence`
  - "Narain on the political economy of AI, cross-subsidy, and technology diffusion" → `who-pays-for-intelligence`
  - "Evidence, counterarguments or sources behind Narain's AI political-economy argument" → `who-pays-for-intelligence-research`
  - "Narain's analysis of streaming and media" → `the-forces-currently-shaping-streaming`, `quality-decline-in-serialized-tv-shows-a-data-driven-analysis`, `redundancy-vs-revelation-the-structural-self-sabotage-of-the-rashomon-effect`
  - "Narain's thoughts on e-commerce and shopping" → `swipe-right-on-shopping`, `the-uncanny-valley-of-proximity`, `when-the-web-closes-the-door`
  - "Narain on design and user interfaces" → `hmi-design`, `just-enough-ui`, `architects-and-urban-planners-as-ux-ui-designers-at-the-human-and-city-scale`
  - "Narain on AI trends and impacts" → `from-barking-hellhounds-to-ai-slop-what-electronic-music-foretells-about-generative-ai`, `the-jailbreak-tax-ais-hidden-cost-and-escalating-arms-race`, `what-crunchbases-genai-redesign-tells-us-about-the-future-of-websites`
  - "Narain's analysis of market trends and earnings" → `the-two-speed-market-a-strategic-analysis-of-techs-q3-2025-earnings`, `2025-trend-forecasts`
  - "Narain on AI safety, governance, and alignment" → `the-myth-in-mythos`, `the-jailbreak-tax-ais-hidden-cost-and-escalating-arms-race`, `on-probabilism-and-determinism-in-ai`
  - "Narain on technology and automotive" → `the-rise-of-chinas-electric-vehicle-industry`, `navigating-the-future-how-tech-trends-and-geopolitics-are-shaping-tomorrow`
  - "Narain's cultural commentary" → `rebecca-blacks-friday-vs-hannah-diamonds-pink-and-blue`, `where-did-social-go`, `rescuing-tumblr`
  - "Narain on habits, reading, and daily life" → `stream-and-shore`, `the-wiring-of-daily-habits`, `longitudinal-contrast-effect`
  - "Narain's perspective on specific devices and platforms" → `apple-glass-speculation`, `what-is-ambient-computing`, `global-tablet-market-and-usage-patterns-2019-2025-visions-trends-and-realities`
  - "Narain on data, insights, and tools" → `implementing-a-self-serve-data-playground-in-your-organization`, `better-ratings`

## Cross-References

- `index` → `archive`: For details on Meta and MUBI work
- `index` → `aeo-playbook`: For Narain's published research on AEO
- `aeo-playbook` → `index`: For information about the author

## Content URLs

| Page | HTML | Markdown |
|------|------|----------|
| Homepage | https://narain.io/ | https://narain.io/index.md |
| Archive | https://narain.io/archive.html | https://narain.io/archive.md |
| AEO Playbook | https://narain.io/aeo-playbook.html | https://narain.io/aeo-playbook.md |
| Writing — Who Pays for Intelligence? | https://narain.io/writing/who-pays-for-intelligence | https://narain.io/writing/who-pays-for-intelligence.md |
| Writing — Who Pays for Intelligence? (Research Companion) | — | https://narain.io/writing/who-pays-for-intelligence-research.md |
| Writing — The "Myth" in Mythos | https://narain.io/writing/the-myth-in-mythos.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-myth-in-mythos.md |
| Writing — Stream and Shore | https://narain.io/writing/stream-and-shore.html | https://narain.io/writing/stream-and-shore.md |
| Writing — The Wiring of Daily Habits | https://narain.io/writing/the-wiring-of-daily-habits.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-wiring-of-daily-habits.md |
| Writing — Redundancy vs. Revelation | https://narain.io/writing/redundancy-vs-revelation-the-structural-self-sabotage-of-the-rashomon-effect.html | https://narain.io/writing/redundancy-vs-revelation-the-structural-self-sabotage-of-the-rashomon-effect.md |
| Writing — The Two-Speed Market | https://narain.io/writing/the-two-speed-market-a-strategic-analysis-of-techs-q3-2025-earnings.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-two-speed-market-a-strategic-analysis-of-techs-q3-2025-earnings.md |
| Writing — From Barking Hellhounds to AI Slop | https://narain.io/writing/from-barking-hellhounds-to-ai-slop-what-electronic-music-foretells-about-generative-ai.html | https://narain.io/writing/from-barking-hellhounds-to-ai-slop-what-electronic-music-foretells-about-generative-ai.md |
| Writing — Global Tablet Market and Usage Patterns | https://narain.io/writing/global-tablet-market-and-usage-patterns-2019-2025-visions-trends-and-realities.html | https://narain.io/writing/global-tablet-market-and-usage-patterns-2019-2025-visions-trends-and-realities.md |
| Writing — 2025 Trend Forecasts | https://narain.io/writing/2025-trend-forecasts.html | https://narain.io/writing/2025-trend-forecasts.md |
| Writing — Apple Glass Speculation | https://narain.io/writing/apple-glass-speculation.html | https://narain.io/writing/apple-glass-speculation.md |
| Writing — Architects and Urban Planners as UX/UI Designers | https://narain.io/writing/architects-and-urban-planners-as-ux-ui-designers-at-the-human-and-city-scale.html | https://narain.io/writing/architects-and-urban-planners-as-ux-ui-designers-at-the-human-and-city-scale.md |
| Writing — Better Ratings | https://narain.io/writing/better-ratings.html | https://narain.io/writing/better-ratings.md |
| Writing — From Papyrus to Prompt | https://narain.io/writing/from-papyrus-to-prompt.html | https://narain.io/writing/from-papyrus-to-prompt.md |
| Writing — HMI Design | https://narain.io/writing/hmi-design.html | https://narain.io/writing/hmi-design.md |
| Writing — Implementing a Self-Serve Data Playground | https://narain.io/writing/implementing-a-self-serve-data-playground-in-your-organization.html | https://narain.io/writing/implementing-a-self-serve-data-playground-in-your-organization.md |
| Writing — Just Enough UI | https://narain.io/writing/just-enough-ui.html | https://narain.io/writing/just-enough-ui.md |
| Writing — Longitudinal Contrast Effect | https://narain.io/writing/longitudinal-contrast-effect.html | https://narain.io/writing/longitudinal-contrast-effect.md |
| Writing — Navigating the Future | https://narain.io/writing/navigating-the-future-how-tech-trends-and-geopolitics-are-shaping-tomorrow.html | https://narain.io/writing/navigating-the-future-how-tech-trends-and-geopolitics-are-shaping-tomorrow.md |
| Writing — On Probabilism and Determinism in AI | https://narain.io/writing/on-probabilism-and-determinism-in-ai.html | https://narain.io/writing/on-probabilism-and-determinism-in-ai.md |
| Writing — Quality Decline in Serialized TV Shows | https://narain.io/writing/quality-decline-in-serialized-tv-shows-a-data-driven-analysis.html | https://narain.io/writing/quality-decline-in-serialized-tv-shows-a-data-driven-analysis.md |
| Writing — Rebecca Black's Friday vs. Hannah Diamond's Pink and Blue | https://narain.io/writing/rebecca-blacks-friday-vs-hannah-diamonds-pink-and-blue.html | https://narain.io/writing/rebecca-blacks-friday-vs-hannah-diamonds-pink-and-blue.md |
| Writing — Rescuing Tumblr | https://narain.io/writing/rescuing-tumblr.html | https://narain.io/writing/rescuing-tumblr.md |
| Writing — Swipe Right on Shopping | https://narain.io/writing/swipe-right-on-shopping.html | https://narain.io/writing/swipe-right-on-shopping.md |
| Writing — The Forces Currently Shaping Streaming | https://narain.io/writing/the-forces-currently-shaping-streaming.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-forces-currently-shaping-streaming.md |
| Writing — The Future of AI Agents | https://narain.io/writing/the-future-of-ai-agents-jobs-interfaces-and-entertainment.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-future-of-ai-agents-jobs-interfaces-and-entertainment.md |
| Writing — The Jailbreak Tax | https://narain.io/writing/the-jailbreak-tax-ais-hidden-cost-and-escalating-arms-race.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-jailbreak-tax-ais-hidden-cost-and-escalating-arms-race.md |
| Writing — The Rise of China's Electric Vehicle Industry | https://narain.io/writing/the-rise-of-chinas-electric-vehicle-industry.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-rise-of-chinas-electric-vehicle-industry.md |
| Writing — The Uncanny Valley of Proximity | https://narain.io/writing/the-uncanny-valley-of-proximity.html | https://narain.io/writing/the-uncanny-valley-of-proximity.md |
| Writing — What Crunchbase's GenAI Redesign Tells Us | https://narain.io/writing/what-crunchbases-genai-redesign-tells-us-about-the-future-of-websites.html | https://narain.io/writing/what-crunchbases-genai-redesign-tells-us-about-the-future-of-websites.md |
| Writing — What is Ambient Computing? | https://narain.io/writing/what-is-ambient-computing.html | https://narain.io/writing/what-is-ambient-computing.md |
| Writing — When the Web Closes the Door | https://narain.io/writing/when-the-web-closes-the-door.html | https://narain.io/writing/when-the-web-closes-the-door.md |
| Writing — Where Did Social Go? | https://narain.io/writing/where-did-social-go.html | https://narain.io/writing/where-did-social-go.md |

## Schema Contract

All markdown mirrors on narain.io contain YAML frontmatter with these fields:

- `title`: Page title (string)
- `slug`: URL slug (string)
- `canonical`: Canonical HTML URL (string)
- `author`: Author name (string)
- `description`: One-line page description (string)
- `topics`: Subject areas covered (list of strings)
- `last_modified`: ISO date of last update (string)