Cloudflare is taking steps to protect its customers from AI bot requests. The company has blocked over 400 billion AI bot requests since July 1, with a goal of discouraging consolidation and safeguarding the internet for small businesses and creators.
According to Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince, the business model of the internet is changing with the rise of AI. He believes that the current system allows large companies like Google to dominate and stifling innovation.
Prince argues that creative human thought still has immense value and can be used by AI companies to improve their models. However, he notes that current policies can create a barrier for creators who want to make money from their work.
Cloudflare is working to change this by blocking AI crawlers on content creators’ work unless the AI company pays for access. This move aligns with the founding principles of an open internet and benefits both Cloudflare and its customers.
The company also highlights concerns about Google’s policies, which can block a site’s ability to be indexed in Google search if it blocks an AI scraper. This creates a challenge for content creators who want to protect their work from AI models while still getting visibility in search.
Prince believes that regulation may be necessary to ensure fair play on the internet. In the meantime, Cloudflare is pushing for pluralistic and expanded markets, rather than centralizing them.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/big-interview-event-matthew-prince-cloudflare