Only a few of the AI crawler requests are for real-time answers for users, is it worthwhile to block the entire site?
In the requests of AI crawlers, only a few are for real-time retrieval of content for users, is it cost-effective to block all AI agents on the entire site? Not cost-effective. Blocking the entire site saves the cost of bulk collection, but the cost is to shut down a small part of the traffic with real users. Grouping by purpose is more stable than a one-cut approach: tighten training, allow retrieval and real-time retrieval, and then control collection with content layer means, each with a landing point for three purposes.
Firstly, separate the three types of use
The first type is training material collection, one-time bulk collection of corpus, almost no return. The second type is retrieval index, organizing pages into citable indexes, and subsequent visits will be accompanied by source links. The third type is to retrieve for users in real time, where users ask questions in generative products, and the program captures this page content on the spot. This type of request behind it is a visitor with a clear and real intention.
When the three types are mixed into an 'AI Spider' switch, any adjustment of the default value will change all three types at the same time, and webmasters cannot see what they have turned off. Grouping is the premise of all subsequent judgments.
The proportion of the day's口径
This distribution of usage on October 30, 2026, as verified by opening the original text, is: Training accounts for 47.62% of all AI crawler requests, search types doubled to 8.3%, while the part taken care of for users in real-time is only 3.66%.
The correct way to read this set of numbers is not 'Only 3.66% so it doesn't matter.' It indicates the structure: training is the majority, blocking it can indeed reduce nearly half of the material pressure; real-time retrieval is a small part, but it corresponds to incoming users, and the value is not calculated linearly based on the number of requests. The judgment of blocking or allowing should be based on usage rather than quantity.
| Purpose | Percentage for the day | What is gained by stopping | What is given up by stopping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training to take material | 47.62% | Reduce the pressure on bulk material collection and server | Less opportunity for the model to be cited |
| Retrieve index | 8.3% | Content does not enter the index that can be cited | The referral traffic from generative answers is cut off |
| retrieve in real time | 3.66% | Unable to read this page immediately | Turn off a high-intention entry exit |
How to group by usage
The most convenient way to group robots files by user group is to write the training class identifiers in one segment, the search class in one segment, and the real-time retrieval class in one segment, each segment to be handled separately. Pay attention that the same group of agents often have multiple identifiers, and only writing one of them may result in 'changed but not effective'.
Grouping outside also requires handling the mandatory layer. Robots are polite guidelines, relying on the voluntary compliance of others; indeed, it is necessary to limit bulk collection, using interference codes and other content layer means for better control, which allows the collected content to be marked with meaningless tags, making it more visible to normal users than directly denying access. The goal of anti-crawling is to reduce the entire site from being moved, not to cut off all machine access, and the two goals correspond to two sets of means.
What to measure after blocking and releasing.
After tightening the training class, observe the changes in server pressure and the amount of crawling; after allowing retrieval and real-time retrieval, observe whether the generative recommendations in the station source have increased. Each set of indicators corresponds to a decision, and when mixed together, it is difficult to determine which layer is at play.
Change one layer at a time: first change the grouping rules and test once; then adjust the content layer methods and test again. If two layers are changed at the same time, the next round will still rely on guessing when encountering the same problem.
Common questions
Question: If real-time retrieval only occupies a small proportion, will it have a big impact if it is turned off? Answer: The impact is not based on the proportion but on the intention. The requests behind this part are users who are looking for answers, and turning it off is equivalent to giving up this type of entry.
Ask: Can robots alone stop the training class? Answer: Cannot guarantee. Guidance relies on voluntary compliance, and forced handling requires cooperation with the interference codes of the rule and content layers.
How can you judge if the grouping of your own station is missing anything? Answer: Check the request volume and return status item by item according to the manufacturer. When one is obviously deviating from the others, it is usually because its identifier has not been written into the rules.