On July 3, 2025, Baidu, the Chinese technology giant, unveiled the most significant update to its search engine in a decade during its Baidu AI Day event. This update introduces a suite of AI-powered features designed to revolutionize how users interact with search technology and content creation on the platform.
At the heart of Baidu’s update is the new Smart Search Box, which can handle queries exceeding 1,000 Chinese characters and supports multi-modal inputs. This means users can now search using not just text but also images and other media formats, making the search experience more intuitive and versatile. Unlike traditional search engines that primarily return links, Baidu’s revamped search results provide comprehensive answers that integrate text, images, videos, and various file types.
Complementing this enhanced search capability is Baidu’s AI Assistant, which now boasts multi-modal capabilities. This assistant can process diverse input types and generate natural, varied responses, improving the fluidity and relevance of user interactions. A standout feature in the update is a content creation tool that enables users to generate AI-powered videos up to three minutes long from just a single sentence. This tool also offers storyboard editing and custom scene design, empowering users to craft personalized video content with ease.
Beyond these individual features, Baidu has expanded its search platform into a broader AI ecosystem called the Baidu Search Open Platform. As of July 2025, this platform includes over 18,000 high-quality MCPs, which serve as content or service providers. This expansion allows users to access a wide range of services directly through the AI Assistant, marking a shift from a simple search engine to a comprehensive AI-driven service hub.
Meanwhile, the broader internet ecosystem is grappling with the challenges posed by AI crawlers—automated bots that collect vast amounts of online content for AI training and inference without proper authorization or compensation to content creators. Cloudflare, Inc., a leading internet infrastructure provider, announced a groundbreaking shift to address this issue by becoming the first company to block unauthorized or unpaid AI crawlers by default.
This new permission-based model empowers website owners to control which AI crawlers can access their content and define how their data is used. AI companies must now explicitly request permission to crawl websites, specifying their intended use, whether for training, inference, or search. This shift from an opt-out to an opt-in system represents a fundamental change in the internet’s operational model, aiming to restore a fair and sustainable balance between content creators and AI developers.
Historically, search engines have indexed content and directed users to original websites, generating traffic and advertising revenue that incentivized the creation of quality content. However, AI crawlers have disrupted this model by collecting content without sending traffic back to the source, leading to revenue losses and diminished creator satisfaction. Matthew Prince, co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, emphasized the importance of this new approach: "If we want the internet to survive and thrive in the AI era, we must give content owners control over how their data is used and create new economic models that work for everyone—from creators to consumers to AI founders and the future of the web itself." He highlighted that original content is the cornerstone of the internet's success and must be protected to ensure continued innovation and creativity.
Industry leaders have praised Cloudflare’s initiative as a pivotal moment for digital content rights. Roger Lynch, CEO of Conde Nast, described it as "a significant change for content owners and publishers, setting a new standard for respecting online content." Neil Vogel, CEO of Dotdash Meredith, noted that this model finally allows AI platforms to fairly compensate publishers and restrict access to willing partners. Renn Turiano, Chief Consumer and Product Officer of Gannett Media, which includes USA TODAY and over 200 local publications, called the technology crucial in combatting intellectual property theft amid industry challenges.
Bill Ready, CEO of Pinterest, expressed confidence that a robust internet infrastructure where content is used as intended will help creators and publishers thrive. Steve Huffman, co-founder and CEO of Reddit, underscored the need for transparency and control in data collection, stating that Cloudflare’s move is a positive step for the entire ecosystem. Vivek Shah, CEO of Ziff Davis, applauded Cloudflare for fostering a sustainable digital environment that benefits consumers, publishers, and advertisers alike.
Since introducing the option to block AI crawlers with a single click in October 2024, over one million Cloudflare customers have adopted the solution. The company is now advancing this effort by developing new protocols for AI bots to authenticate themselves and for websites to specify authorized crawlers. This will provide content creators and website owners with enhanced tools to govern their data and engage with AI companies on fair terms.
In a related development, a Similarweb report highlights a significant shift in how users engage with news content online. Since Google launched AI Overviews in May 2024, the zero-click rate for news searches on Google Search has risen from 56% to approximately 69%. This indicates that users increasingly rely on direct AI-generated answers rather than clicking through to original news websites. Consequently, organic traffic to news sites has dropped from a peak of 2.3 billion in mid-2024 to less than 1.7 billion currently.
Interestingly, news-related queries on ChatGPT surged by 212% between January 2024 and May 2025, signaling growing user engagement with AI-driven news delivery. While some news organizations like Reuters, New York Post, and Business Insider have seen increased traffic from ChatGPT, others such as The New York Times have experienced more modest gains despite their prominence. Similarweb suggests that search behavior is evolving from seeking quick answers to pursuing deeper engagement through AI.
To help publishers explore alternative monetization strategies beyond traditional traffic-based models, Google recently launched an 'Offerwall' service via Google Ad Manager. This service enables publishers to offer micro-payments or newsletter subscriptions, diversifying revenue streams in an era of shifting user habits.
These developments collectively illustrate a rapidly transforming digital landscape where AI is reshaping search, content creation, and the economics of information. Baidu’s ambitious AI-powered search overhaul, Cloudflare’s pioneering permission-based model for AI crawlers, and the evolving patterns of news consumption underscore the complex interplay between innovation, content rights, and sustainable business models in the internet age.
As AI technologies continue to mature, balancing the interests of creators, consumers, and AI developers will be crucial. The internet’s future depends on fostering ecosystems that respect original content, encourage fair compensation, and enable seamless, natural user experiences. The recent moves by Baidu, Cloudflare, and other industry players mark important strides toward that future.