Wikipedia has issued a clear call to AI companies, urging them to use its content responsibly by leveraging its paid API instead of scraping the site. In a blog post, the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, outlined a plan to ensure the platform remains sustainable in the age of artificial intelligence, even as its traffic continues to decline. The organization is promoting its paid service, Wikimedia Enterprise, as the preferred method for AI developers to access Wikipedia’s vast repository of knowledge. This opt-in platform allows companies to use Wikipedia’s content at scale while reducing strain on the site’s servers. More importantly, the revenue generated from the service supports the nonprofit mission of the Wikimedia Foundation, which relies on donations and volunteer contributions to maintain the encyclopedia. While the post does not threaten legal action or penalties for companies that continue to scrape Wikipedia’s content, it highlights a growing concern. The Foundation recently discovered that AI bots had been accessing the site in large numbers, attempting to mimic human behavior to avoid detection. After updating its bot-detection systems, it found that unusually high traffic in May and June was driven by these AI systems, while human page views dropped by 8% compared to the same period last year. Wikipedia is now setting clear expectations for AI developers, emphasizing the need for proper attribution. The post argues that transparency in sourcing is essential for public trust in online information. “For people to trust information shared on the internet, platforms should make it clear where the information is sourced from and elevate opportunities to visit and participate in those sources,” the post states. The Foundation warns that declining traffic could have long-term consequences. Fewer visits mean fewer volunteers to contribute and improve content, and reduced support from individual donors, which could weaken the quality and availability of free knowledge. Earlier this year, the Wikimedia Foundation also released an AI strategy for its community of editors, focusing on using AI to assist with repetitive tasks—such as automating translations and content organization—rather than replacing human contributors. The goal is to empower editors, not displace them, ensuring that Wikipedia’s collaborative model endures in the AI era.