Cloudflare has acquired Human Native, a UK-based startup specializing in AI data licensing, to build a transparent marketplace for the generative AI era.
The acquisition allows Cloudflare to bridge the gap between content owners and AI labs, offering a structured alternative to unauthorized web scraping. By integrating Human Native’s technology, Cloudflare will empower publishers to transform their archives into “AI-ready” assets that can be discovered, priced, and purchased through verified channels.
Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, stated that the deal is about “protecting the longevity of the open internet” by ensuring creators receive fair compensation for the data powering modern AI.
This move scales Cloudflare’s existing suite of “Crawl Control” tools, moving beyond simply blocking bots to facilitating a new economic model for licensed data.
