Cloudflare has rolled out a new monetization layer for the “agentic web,”...

Cloudflare has rolled out a new monetization layer for the “agentic web,” allowing AI agents to make direct payments using the x402 protocol at the network edge. This advancement means that AI agents can pay websites directly instead of depending solely on free pages or existing API agreements. Currently, AI products access external information through contracts, scraping, APIs, or public sources. Cloudflare's system aims to make resource access resemble a paid HTTP request. When an agent requests a protected resource, the request can be denied until payment is made. Website owners can specify access charges, like “$0.01 per call,” with Cloudflare ensuring payment compliance at the edge. Agents will receive a 402 Payment Required response, complete the payment, and then proceed with proof of payment. This innovation integrates payment into the core web request process, assuming agents can manage wallets and adhere to spending protocols. 📰 @aipost