AI Bot Blocker – Cloudflare Launches Powerful Tool for Websites
July 4, 2025
Cloudflare Takes a Stand Against Unauthorised AI Scraping
A major shake-up is happening online, and it could dramatically change how AI companies access and use content. Internet infrastructure giant Cloudflare has launched a powerful new tool that allows websites to block AI bots from scraping content without permission. It’s already active on over one million websites, and will soon roll out to millions more.
At Black Sheep Support, we recommend all our customers use Cloudflare as part of their online setup. Not only does it boost website performance and security, but with these new AI bot protections, it also helps safeguard your content from unauthorised use.
What’s Happening?
Cloudflare, which helps power around 20% of the entire internet, has introduced default protections against AI crawlers (automated bots used by AI firms to gather data from websites). These bots scan and copy online content, like articles, images, and videos, to help train large AI models.
Until now, most of this scraping has happened without asking the original content creators, and without payment or attribution. That’s led to growing backlash from publishers, artists, musicians, journalists and others who feel AI firms are profiting from their work – without giving anything back.
Cloudflare’s new system changes that. Every new site added to Cloudflare will be given the option to block AI crawlers by default, or to demand compensation in exchange for access to their content. This gives website owners a level of control that’s never existed before.
Why Does It Matter?
This move addresses what many are calling a broken system. Traditional search engines, like Google, index website content in exchange for directing traffic back to the original source—boosting ad revenue and visibility for creators. AI bots, by contrast, often scrape data without sending any traffic back.
Cloudflare’s new tools aim to restore balance by giving content creators the ability to say:
“No, you can’t take our work without permission.”
Or perhaps:
“Yes, but only if you pay for it.”
The company is also working on a “Pay Per Crawl” system, which would create a new business model – charging AI firms to access original content.
The Industry Reaction
Many major publishers and creators have welcomed the move. The CEOs of Condé Nast, Pinterest, and Reddit have called it a critical step towards protecting online content and ensuring fair treatment of creators. Even smaller publishers and independent creators see this as a chance to take back control in an AI-dominated web.
Of course, others have noted that technical tools are only one part of the solution. Legal battles around copyright, licensing, and AI training are still unfolding across the UK, US and Europe. But Cloudflare’s move is widely seen as a major milestone.
As Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince put it:
“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.”
Support for a Changing Digital Landscape
Setting up Cloudflare might seem complex, but you don’t have to face it alone. At Black Sheep Support we offer a free consultation, so you can explore your options, ask questions, and see how Cloudflare could benefit your business.
We make the process simple and hassle-free, so you can enjoy the benefits of enhanced security and AI bot protection without the technical headaches.
Our expert team stays up to date with the latest developments in AI, digital infrastructure, and web protection, ensuring you get the best advice tailored to your needs. Whether you want to safeguard your website from unauthorised AI scraping, optimise performance, or simply understand how these changes impact your business, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Get in touch with Black Sheep Support today and let us help you unlock the full potential of Cloudflare, so you can focus on growing your business with confidence.
What is Cloudflare’s AI bot blocker and how does it work?
Cloudflare’s AI bot blocker is a new tool that allows websites to detect and block automated bots, used by AI firms to scrape content, unless the site owner gives permission. It works by identifying bot traffic and stopping it at the network level, giving publishers more control over who accesses their content.
Why are AI bots a concern for content creators?
AI bots often scrape content, such as articles, images or videos, from websites to train large language models, usually without asking permission or offering attribution or payment. This can hurt content creators by reducing traffic and undermining their intellectual property.
Will this affect search engines like Google or Bing?
No. Cloudflare’s system targets AI bots specifically, not search engine crawlers. Most publishers still want traffic from search engines because it drives users to their sites. This tool is designed to block bots that don’t send traffic back, like many AI crawlers.
Can my business earn money from allowing AI bots access?
Potentially, yes. Cloudflare is working on a “Pay Per Crawl” model, which could allow website owners to charge AI firms for access to their content. This might become a future revenue stream for some publishers.
How do I know if my website is affected by AI scraping?
Many websites aren’t aware they’re being scraped. Cloudflare’s tools, alongside proper analytics and monitoring, can help identify suspicious bot activity.
Black Sheep Support can help you assess your site’s traffic and spot unusual patterns—just get in touch.