Cloudflare's New AI Crawler Blockade

Cloudflare is shaking up the digital landscape by blocking AI web crawlers by default.

This move aims to stop AI bots from accessing content without permission or payment. It's like putting up a "No Trespassing" sign on your digital lawn!

With this change, new domain owners will be asked if they want to allow AI scrapers. But here's the juicy bit: Cloudflare is introducing a "Pay Per Crawl" program. This lets select publishers set a price for AI scrapers to access their content. So, AI companies can either pay up or move along. It’s a win-win for creators and AI companies, ensuring quality content is used "the right way."

Cloudflare has been a knight in shining armour for domain owners battling AI crawlers. Since 2023, they've allowed websites to block AI bots, even those ignoring the robots.txt file. Now, this setting is the default for new customers. Plus, Cloudflare's clever "AI Labyrinth" feature sends rogue bots on a wild goose chase, keeping your content safe.

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Major players like The Associated Press and Quora are on board, as more people turn to AI chatbots over traditional search engines. Cloudflare is also working with AI companies to verify their crawlers and clarify their intentions, whether for training or search.

As Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince puts it, the internet thrives on original content. By blocking AI crawlers and introducing "Pay Per Crawl," Cloudflare is putting power back in creators' hands while still supporting AI innovation. So, creators, rejoice! Your digital masterpieces are getting the protection they deserve.

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Want to hear more? Join Mal & Matt on the Property AI Report Podcast each week!

Access from your preferred podcast provider by clicking here

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