Mumbai: IAB Tech Lab, the global technical standards-setting body for digital advertising, has announced the formation of the AI Content Monetization Protocols (CoMP) Working Group. The initiative, previously known as the LLM Content Ingest API, has been rebranded to reflect its broader objective of defining sustainable content monetization practices in an AI-first digital ecosystem.
“This group came together because the fundamentals of the open web are under ever-increasing pressure,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab. “Publishers are seeing significant traffic drops from AI experiences like overviews and chatbots. Brands are watching their product information get stripped of context or misrepresented. It’s time to build the technical plumbing for a better path forward.”
The AI CoMP Working Group will focus on three core pillars to help publishers and content creators monetize effectively:
- Blocking bot traffic — giving publishers a “door with a lock” to manage unwanted scraping
- LLM-friendly discovery — enabling publishers to participate in AI-driven experiences while sustaining revenue
- LLM Ingest API — a standardized mechanism for content ingestion, allowing AI systems to monetize through opt-in participation
These protocols are designed not just to restore lost ad revenue, but to give publishers and brands control over how their information is accessed and presented in AI-driven environments. The framework supports a range of monetization models, from pay-per-crawl to aggregation to outcome-based structures, providing flexibility across the ecosystem.
Shailley Singh, Executive Vice President, Product and COO, IAB Tech Lab, added, “The rise of generative AI created the Wild West for content usage. What we’re building now is the zoning map. This initiative gives publishers the tools to protect their IP and unlock new value — not just plug holes.”
“The rise of AI brings both risks and potential opportunities: without fair value exchange, quality editorial content — and a diverse media landscape — are at stake. At the same time, agentic systems could unlock new markets for publishers,” said Achim Schlosser, VP Global Data Standards, Bertelsmann. “Standards like CoMP are essential to put control back in the hands of publishers, ensuring visibility, attribution, and sustainable monetization in an AI-driven ecosystem.”
Jon Roberts, Chief Innovation Officer, People Inc., commented: “The AI future is powered by chips, electricity, and information. The best AI products require access to the best content. We’re proud to partner with IAB Tech Lab to build the future economy that allows great AI to fund great journalism.”
“While some content deals have been struck with large publishers, the mid and long tail remain unheard,” Katsur concluded. “This framework gives everyone a seat at the table.”
IAB Tech Lab is inviting AI innovators including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Meta, Perplexity, Grok, as well as publishers, platforms, edge cloud providers, and technology companies of all sizes to actively participate in shaping these protocols. By participating now, stakeholders can help establish a sustainable marketplace that benefits creators, brands, platforms, and end users alike.
