Wikipedia has sent a clear message to AI developers: stop scraping its content for free and start using its paid Wikimedia Enterprise API.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia, emphasized that responsible access to content is crucial for keeping the platform running.
Revenue from the paid API supports Wikipedia’s non-profit operations, helping maintain the free knowledge platform that relies on volunteers and donations.
Why Wikipedia Is Taking Action
Recently, Wikipedia discovered that AI bots were scraping its pages while pretending to be human users.
This caused a spike in automated traffic during May and June, while visits from real users dropped by 8%.
The foundation wants AI companies to:
Use the official paid API for large-scale content access
Properly credit Wikipedia contributors whose work forms the basis of AI-generated outputs
Wikipedia explained that giving credit helps build trust online and encourages readers to visit, contribute, and support the platform.
Balancing AI and Open Knowledge
Earlier this year, Wikipedia introduced an AI strategy to assist human editors with tasks like translation and workflow.
The goal is to support editors, not replace them, and to ensure that AI use is ethical and fair.
By requiring AI developers to use the paid API and give attribution, Wikipedia aims to protect volunteer efforts, secure funding, and maintain open access to knowledge while adapting to the growing role of AI.
