Cloudflare will now, by default, block AI bots from crawling its clients’ websites
2025-07-14
Summary
Cloudflare has announced that it will now automatically block AI bots from crawling the websites it hosts, while also introducing a "pay-per-crawl" system. This new approach allows clients to control which AI bots can access their sites and offers potential compensation for data access. The move aims to address concerns about content creators' lack of credit and compensation when their data is used by AI models.
Why This Matters
As AI models increasingly rely on web data, creators and publishers face challenges in monetizing and controlling their content. Cloudflare's decision reflects a growing need to balance technological advancement with fair compensation for content creators. By implementing these changes, Cloudflare sets a precedent for how web hosting services might handle AI bot traffic in the future.
How You Can Use This Info
Professionals managing websites can consider Cloudflare's new system to better control how their content is used by AI technologies, potentially benefiting from compensation through the "pay-per-crawl" model. Additionally, understanding these changes can help businesses negotiate fairer terms with AI companies for data usage. Those involved in noncommercial research should stay informed about these developments to ensure continued access to necessary data.