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OpenAI commits to honor robots.txt AI-training opt-outs

OpenAI committed to honoring the preferences websites state in robots.txt on whether their content may be used to train AI; the labels come from a draft by the AI Preferences working group of the IETF, the body that writes internet protocol standards, and OpenAI expects to implement it within a few months. (OpenAI, 2026-10-30) How we checked →

Concept illustration: left of centre, a monitor displays the large heading ROBOTS.TXT above grey lines and a red slide switch with its white knob at the right end, beside a label reading AI TRAINING, while a hand reaching in from the lower right presses the knob with its index finger; in front of the monitor's lower left stands a sheet of paper lettered IETF, with grey lines and a dashed outline of a switch. A dotted line runs from the monitor's right side up and to the right toward a distant laptop whose screen shows a speech bubble with grey lines and a dashed oval, and behind the laptop to the right stands a white plaque lettered OPENAI with a black interlaced emblem.

Source and checks

This item ran in the brief of Oct 31, 2026, alongside 7 other items. How we checked it, the quote checks and what was still missing that day are on that issue's How we checked page.

Cite this item

SecondSource (2026). "OpenAI commits to honor robots.txt AI-training opt-outs." https://secondsource.io/en/product/2026-10-31-1/. Accessed access date.