How common is AGENTS.md, really? I sampled GitHub: 6.2% of active repos, 1.0% of all repos

A recent analysis of GitHub repositories provides a clearer picture of the adoption rate for 'AGENTS.md' files, which are used to provide instructions to AI agents. By sampling GitHub using two distinct frames—active repositories pushed within the last 90 days and the total population of public repositories—the study found significant differences in prevalence. While 6.2% of active projects utilize AGENTS.md, the rate drops to 1.0% when considering all public repositories, many of which are abandoned or empty. The research also highlights that 'CLAUDE.md' is nearly as common as 'AGENTS.md' in active projects, suggesting that no single standard has yet emerged. The author emphasizes that these files are a habit of active development rather than a universal standard, and cautions against conflating enthusiastic early-adopter trends with the broader, often stagnant, GitHub ecosystem.