March 10, 2026 — The IAB Tech Lab released the Content Monetization Protocol (CoMP) Specification v1.0, proposing new payment rules for AI content access by enabling publishers and AI systems to signal permissions and commercial terms prior to crawling or use.
The protocol addresses publisher traffic declines exceeding 50% from search referrals and establishes a standardized API to support direct licensing or marketplaces, assuming existing blocking tools like robots.txt or CDNs remain in place. It aims to foster fair compensation and reliable data supplies amid AI training demands.
Protocol Details
CoMP uses machine-readable JSON signals where AI systems declare intent—such as training or indexing—and content owners respond with access terms, licenses, and retrieval methods. The technical specification outlines objects like AISystem requests and Package responses, covering scopes, functions, and authentication without handling payments or negotiations directly.
As described in MarTech coverage, IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment rules for AI content access to shift from scraping to licensed use, reducing legal risks and operational friction.
“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,” said Anthony Katsur, CEO of IAB Tech Lab. “CoMP is designed to help the industry move in that direction.”
Industry Backing and Quotes
Supporters include The Weather Company, Bertelsmann, People Inc., Beeler.Tech, and Mobian. Bertelsmann’s Achim Schlosser stated:
“The first release of the CoMP API marks an important step toward establishing interoperable, transparent standards for fair value exchange in the AI ecosystem.”
MediaPost highlighted the machine-readable tags easing publisher overhead, with IAB’s Hillary Slattery noting flexibility for global adoption.
The IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment rules for AI content access, as echoed in emerging X discussions.
Public Comment and Context
The spec is open for public comment until April 9, 2026, inviting input from publishers, AI developers, and marketplaces. This follows the CoMP Working Group formation.
IAB Tech Lab proposes new payment rules for AI content access to sustain premium content, with PRNewswire distributing the release confirming these aims.