Should you block AI crawlers?

What are you actually blocking?

AI crawlers serve two different purposes, and the decision differs for each. Retrieval crawlers fetch pages at answer time so an engine can cite them — blocking these removes you from citations. Training crawlers fetch pages to improve a model's accumulated knowledge — blocking these removes you from the training data that shapes how the engine describes you from memory. Conflating the two leads to a blanket block that costs you citations to protect against training, which may not be the trade you actually want.

What happens if you block all AI crawlers?

Your pages can't be cited by any engine you block. In a category where buyers ask AI assistants for recommendations, that means you're absent from the answer — no brand mention, no citation, no presence on the surface that is increasingly where consideration happens. The content is protected; the visibility is gone. Whether that trade makes sense depends on whether your buyers research via AI and how much your content's exclusivity is worth.

What happens if you allow all AI crawlers?

You're citable and your content contributes to model knowledge, which is the state most brands want. The cost is that your pages can be used to train models, including models behind competitor products if the crawler belongs to one. For most public marketing content, that cost is low — the content is already public and meant to be read. For proprietary research, pricing logic, or content that is your competitive moat, the calculation differs.

Is selective blocking the answer?

For many teams, yes. Allow retrieval crawlers so you can be cited in answers; block training crawlers so your content isn't used to improve a competitor's model. This requires knowing which crawler serves which purpose, which means reading each bot's documented intent rather than treating "AI bot" as one category. The AI crawlers glossary entry covers the distinction in more detail.

How do I know if AI crawlers can read my site?

Check, don't assume. A page that ranks fine in classic search can still be invisible to an AI crawler — JavaScript-dependent content, slow responses, or an overbroad robots rule all read as empty. The AI-readability site audit fetches your pages the way AI crawlers do and reports exactly what blocks citation, so the decision to allow or block is informed by what's actually reachable.

What should I monitor after deciding?

Whatever you choose, measure the result. If you allow retrieval crawlers, track citation rate over scheduled prompt monitoring runs to confirm the pages you opened up are actually getting cited. If you block, watch whether your brand mentions hold up from training-data knowledge alone — they may, for established brands, or they may not, for newer ones. The data tells you whether the trade you chose is paying off.