Cloudflare announced plans to introduce a marketplace within the next year, allowing website owners to charge AI model providers for access to scrape their content. This initiative is part of CEO Matthew Prince's broader strategy to empower publishers in controlling AI bot activity on their sites. In a recent TechCrunch interview, Prince emphasized the need to compensate content creators to ensure ongoing production. As a first move, Cloudflare launched a free tool called AI Audit. This dashboard enables website owners to monitor AI behavior on their sites—tracking when and how often models scrape information. Users can opt to block all AI bots or selectively allow certain scrapers based on agreements or perceived benefits. The new tool provides insights into the origins of each scraper, including visits from major AI providers like OpenAI and Amazon. Cloudflare seeks to protect smaller publishers whose content is currently scraped without compensation, potentially jeopardizing their traffic and revenue.

While larger publishers can negotiate deals, many remain unprotected against rampant scraping. Earlier this summer, an AI startup faced backlash for scraping sites that expressed a desire not to be crawled. In response, Cloudflare implemented a one-click option for customers to block all AI bots. Website owners have reported distress over the sheer volume of AI scraping, likening it to DDoS attacks, which can increase cloud costs and disrupt services. Prince noted that customers want more nuanced control over which AI models can access their content. Even major publishers with licensing arrangements often lack clarity on the extent of AI scraping, relying on limited information from providers. Cloudflare's upcoming marketplace is designed to extend similar opportunities to smaller publishers, allowing them to set terms for content access. Though details on the marketplace are not fully developed, Prince envisions a system where websites can charge based on scraping rates or request credits in exchange for access. While AI companies may resist paying for currently free content, Prince believes that compensating creators is essential for a sustainable AI ecosystem.