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The internet is shifting, and Cloudflare is leading the charge. In a significant move, Cloudflare has announced it will now block AI crawlers by default from accessing websites. But that’s not all — they’re also rolling out a “Pay Per Crawl” initiative, giving website owners a chance to earn money every time AI companies want to use their content.
This marks a major turning point for how AI companies access data and how publishers protect (and profit from) their content.
What’s Changing?
If your website is hosted with Cloudflare — which powers around 20% of the internet — AI crawlers will no longer have automatic access to your site’s data. This means companies building AI tools, like large language models and search bots, must now ask for permission (or pay) to crawl your content.
By default, all new websites on Cloudflare will have AI bot blocking turned on. Existing websites will be encouraged to activate this setting too.
Introducing “Pay Per Crawl”
Cloudflare is also unveiling a new concept: Pay Per Crawl. This allows AI companies to pay for access to your content fairly and transparently.
Here’s how it works:
- Site owners can set prices for their content.
- AI companies can preview content and decide if they want to pay for access.
- Content may be delivered in a machine-readable format, making it efficient and relevant for crawling.
This opens up a new revenue stream for publishers and content creators — one that previously did not exist.
Why This Matters
For years, AI companies have been scraping content freely, often without permission or compensation. Some didn’t respect robots.txt files, while others found workarounds. This left publishers with little control and zero revenue from the AI systems being built on their backs.
With Cloudflare’s update, that changes. It puts control back in the hands of the creator, where it belongs.
Cloudflare’s CEO, Matthew Prince, explained it clearly:
“If the Internet is going to survive the age of AI, we need to give publishers the control they deserve and build a new economic model that works for everyone.
The Benefits for Publishers
- Control Over Content
You choose which bots can crawl your content, based on purpose (training, search, generation). - Revenue Generation
Pay Per Crawl introduces a brand-new monetization method, directly from AI companies. - Protects Intellectual Property
Stop unauthorized scraping and safeguard original work.
Better AI Partnerships
Verified AI bots mean cleaner collaboration and better use of your data.
But There Are Some Drawbacks…
- Potential Decrease in Visibility
Blocking AI bots may limit exposure in AI-driven search features or answers. - Implementation Learning Curve
Site owners may need to adjust settings or update CMS platforms to fully benefit. - May Impact Smaller AI Startups
Smaller AI firms might struggle to pay for large-scale data access, limiting innovation.
A Growing Movement
Cloudflare isn’t alone. Big-name publishers like TIME, BuzzFeed, The Atlantic, Stack Overflow, and Quora have already joined the movement. Many see this as a necessary shift to protect content and push AI companies toward fair compensation.
Even Gannett Media, which owns USA TODAY and hundreds of local publications, praised Cloudflare’s step forward in combating IP theft.
What does this mean for you?
Cloudflare’s new default blocking of AI crawlers, paired with its Pay Per Crawl initiative, signals a major change in how the internet and AI will coexist. It’s a clear message: Content has value, and creators deserve a say in how it’s used.
For content creators, publishers, and even small business websites, this is your moment to take back control. Whether you want to protect your content, earn revenue from it, or decide who can access it, Cloudflare’s tools are giving you the power to do just that.
As AI continues to evolve, expect more platforms to follow suit. The future of content is not just about being found — it’s about being valued.
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