Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, highlighted a crucial shift in how people use the internet that poses challenges for content creators. He explained that as AI-powered tools and search engines increasingly provide direct answers right on their results pages, users are less likely to visit the original websites where the content was created. This decline in click-through traffic threatens the traditional revenue models of many creators, who depend on advertising and subscriptions.
Prince stressed that original content is the vital “fuel” powering AI engines, so creators must find ways to protect their work from being freely accessed by AI bots. He urged creators to restrict access to their content, essentially creating scarcity so that AI companies must pay for the right to use it. This could be through paywalls, licensing, or other mechanisms that ensure fair compensation.
While he acknowledged the risks, Prince also sees opportunity: truly original, high-value content will become even more precious as AI amplifies access to information. Creators producing quality work can still thrive if they adapt to these new dynamics.
Prince’s remarks come amid a broader debate on AI training practices, with some publishers blocking AI crawlers and others negotiating licenses. Importantly, he also emphasized that AI need not replace human workers. At Cloudflare, AI is used to empower employees—giving them “superpowers” to enhance their productivity rather than eliminating jobs.
Ultimately, Prince’s message is clear: as AI reshapes how people find and consume content, creators must evolve quickly to protect their value and maintain sustainable business models in the changing digital economy.
