March 11, 2026 — The IAB Tech Lab announced the release of its Content Monetization Protocol (CoMP) v1.0 specification for public comment, IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment protocol for AI systems accessing publisher content to ensure large language models (LLMs) establish commercial agreements with publishers before crawling or using online content.
The framework addresses publisher concerns over traffic losses exceeding 50% from search referrals due to AI scraping, creating standardized payment rails for content access. Public comment is open until April 9, 2026, via the IAB Tech Lab CoMP page.
Framework Details
CoMP enables publishers to signal permissions and commercial terms via APIs, allowing AI systems to check agreements pre-access. Without terms, access is blocked at the edge, directing to licensing options. The spec supports direct deals or marketplaces, standardizing from restrictions to mutual benefits, as detailed in the GitHub specification.
MarTech described it as IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment protocol for AI systems accessing publisher content, a March 11 development aiming to standardize payment rails for AI usage of content with global implications for publishers and tech firms.
“AI systems require chips, power, and information. Information is the only input in that equation that does not yet have a consistent commercial infrastructure around it. If we expect high-quality content to continue fueling AI-driven products, we need clear terms of engagement and a mechanism that supports compensation, accountability, and long-term sustainability. CoMP is designed to help the industry move in that direction.”
— Anthony Katsur, CEO, IAB Tech Lab
Industry Reactions
Executives praised the initiative. Julianne Jennings, Senior Director at The Weather Company, called it “a critical step in establishing a foundation for secured data collaboration.”
“Publishers should be compensated for the use of their intellectual property… CoMP provides a necessary framework for those discussions, helping us move faster from theory to practice.”
— Rob Beeler, Beeler.Tech
Coverage from MediaPost and PPC Land echoed IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment protocol for AI systems accessing publisher content, emphasizing enforcement through pre-crawl payments.
Background
The CoMP Working Group, launched in August 2025 with over 80 executives from publishers, AI firms, and cloud providers, developed the protocol. Early X discussions shared MarTech coverage, noting its potential as an industry standard amid rising AI demands.
PR Newswire distributed the official announcement, reinforcing IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment protocol for AI systems accessing publisher content for sustainable content ecosystems.