How many AI bot requests did Cloudflare block?

Cloudflare blocked over 416 billion AI bot requests since July 1, 2025.

Why is Cloudflare blocking AI bots?

Cloudflare is blocking AI bots to protect content creators from unauthorized data scraping and to ensure a fair internet ecosystem.

What is Matthew Prince's concern about Google's AI crawlers?

Matthew Prince is concerned that Google's combined AI and search crawlers force creators to choose between protecting their content and being discoverable.

Home / Technology / Cloudflare Blocks 416 Billion AI Bot Requests

Cloudflare Blocks 416 Billion AI Bot Requests

5 Dec

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Summary

Cloudflare blocked over 416 billion AI bot requests since July 1, 2025.
The internet's business model is facing a dramatic platform shift due to AI.
Google's combined AI and search crawlers create an opt-out dilemma for creators.

Cloudflare Blocks 416 Billion AI Bot Requests

Cloudflare has intercepted over 416 billion requests from AI bots targeting its customers' content since early July 2025. CEO Matthew Prince stated at a recent event that this massive blocking effort reflects a fundamental platform shift, fundamentally altering the internet's long-standing business model reliant on content driving traffic and ad revenue. He expressed deep concern over potential consolidation and the need to safeguard a fair online ecosystem for all creators.

Prince elaborated on the challenges facing businesses and creators, emphasizing Cloudflare's commitment to protecting them on a level playing field. He specifically cited Google's integration of its AI and search crawlers as a significant issue. This consolidation means that blocking AI scrapers also prevents content from being indexed by Google Search, creating a dilemma for creators who need visibility but don't want their work used for AI training.