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AI systems rely on massive quantities of web data, drawing on billions of human-created artifacts to train models, generate outputs, and reshape culture. Yet the implicit social contract that once governed how machines interact with the open web is beginning to unravel. Increasingly, creators and institutions are questioning whether contributing to the digital commons still benefits them. Concerns about the exploitation of creative labor, extractive AI practices, and environmental impacts are prompting some to retreat behind paywalls, block crawlers, or remove content entirely. What happens to the commons when the web no longer wants to be read by machines? A future where knowledge and culture are locked behind proprietary systems is equally troubling. At the same time, many creators are experimenting with AI themselves—exploring new forms of creativity and opening conversations about a spectrum of responses, from resistance to engagement. Creative Commons is developing new tools that allow content stewards to communicate expectations about how machines and AI operators should access, use, and reciprocate when drawing from the commons. This workshop will introduce early prototypes of these tools and invite participants to engage directly with them. Through facilitated discussion and small-group activities, participants will explore potential use cases, identify risks and opportunities, and share perspectives from their own communities. Feedback gathered during the session will be synthesized and incorporated into Creative Commons’ ongoing global consultation on AI and the commons, with key insights shared publicly through the CC blog. <br>
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