Cloudflare, Inc. announced a significant shift in how AI crawlers access web content, becoming the first Internet infrastructure provider to block AI crawlers by default from accessing content without permission or compensation for new web domains. This move empowers website owners to control and monetize their content.
Starting today, website owners signing up with Cloudflare will be asked if they want to allow AI crawlers, giving them explicit choice. Publishers can also utilize a new 'pay per crawl' model to charge AI companies for access to their content, aiming to create a sustainable economic model for creators.
This initiative builds on a tool launched in September 2024 that allowed one-click blocking of AI crawlers. Cloudflare's CEO, Matthew Prince, stated the goal is to put power back in the hands of creators and safeguard the future of a free and vibrant Internet, with support from leading publishers like Condé Nast and Dotdash Meredith.
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