LLMs.txt is a new mechanism to control how AI crawlers access and use your data. This article explains what it can and cannot do, why it matters, and why organisations should act now.
The Invisible Shield: What LLMs.txt Means for Your Content
Large Language Models such as GPT, Gemini or Claude crawl the web to train their models and generate responses. This fundamentally changes how content is consumed and reused. Organisations face a central question:
How can we maintain control over content processed within the AI ecosystem?
With the rising relevance of AI crawling, a new best practice has emerged: LLMs.txt. It is not yet an official standard, but a powerful mechanism to provide machine-readable rules for AI bots. This article explains how LLMs.txt works, why it is strategically important, and how you can implement it efficiently with VERZE.
The New Reality: AI Uses Content Differently Than Search Engines
Search engines index pages to display them in rankings. AI models, however:
- train on large volumes of text
- build abstract knowledge structures
- generate content from statistical patterns
- reference brands indirectly
This means SEO alone is no longer sufficient. Organisations need a mechanism to define which content can be read, learned and used by AI systems. LLMs.txt closes this gap.
This makes it essential for organisations to actively control which content AI systems may use for training and generation.
What Is LLMs.txt?
LLMs.txt is a simple yet strategically important text file placed in the root directory of your website. It provides machine-readable rules for AI crawlers. It works similarly to robots.txt, but is designed for AI-specific agents such as:
- GPTBot (OpenAI)
- ClaudeBot (Anthropic)
- Google-Extended / Google-AI-Crawler (Google / Gemini)
- PerplexityBot (Perplexity)
It defines:
- Allow: which content may be used
- Disallow: which content may not be used for training
- License: under which conditions AI may use content
1. Allow Rules
Define which content AI models may read and use for training or generation. Examples include selected blog articles, product descriptions or press releases.
2. Disallow Rules
Define which areas must not be used by AI systems, such as:
- premium or paid content
- protected documentation
- internal knowledge bases
- confidential directories
This prevents sensitive information from unintentionally flowing into AI models.
3. Licensing or Usage Terms
A reference to the legal conditions under which AI models may read or use your content. This strengthens your legal position and provides transparency for LLM providers.
4. Optional Metadata and Additional Information
Many organisations include:
- contact details for licensing inquiries
- specific rules for different bots
- rate-limit instructions
- explicit permissions for selected content or domains
LLMs.txt becomes a machine interface defining how AI systems may read, interpret and process your data.
The Difference: robots.txt vs. LLMs.txt
While robots.txt generally means “do not display”, LLMs.txt means “do not learn”. This distinction becomes crucial for brand management, legal clarity and digital competitiveness.
robots.txt
- Controls crawling and indexing
- Focus: SEO and visibility
- Targets: Googlebot, Bingbot, etc.
LLMs.txt
- Controls AI usage and training
- Focus: copyright, licensing, content governance
- Targets: GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, etc.
LLMs.txt and Owned Asset Management
Owned Asset Management ensures that organisations manage and protect their digital content strategically. With LLMs.txt, a new component enters the picture: controlling how AI systems read and use your content.
The file protects sensitive assets, prevents unwanted knowledge transfer and strengthens the exclusivity of your content. At the same time, it allows you to selectively expose content to AI systems to increase your visibility.
A Strong Solution: Efficient Implementation with VERZE
The idea behind LLMs.txt is simple, but operationalising it is complex. Organisations must continuously capture, classify and update content for the file to remain effective. This is where VERZE provides a powerful solution.
VERZE combines modern scraper technology with intelligent asset management to generate a precise and always-up-to-date LLMs.txt. This makes the governance of AI usage rules not only easier, but aligned with your broader content architecture.
Our Approach to LLMo and GEO
Optimising for Large Language Models (LLMo) and Generative Engines (GEO) becomes a key factor for digital visibility. To position your content correctly within AI systems, we combine technological precision with strategic foresight:
- Automated analysis: VERZE captures and structures your web assets reliably.
- Fast implementation: We deliver a customised LLMs.txt without changes to your IT stack.
- Dynamic updates: Your rules remain synchronised with your content strategy at all times.
In this way, LLMo and GEO become a controllable and impactful component of your digital visibility.
FAQ: What You Should Know About LLMs.txt
1. Is LLMs.txt already an official web standard?
No. It is not a W3C or IETF standard. It is a community-driven approach spreading rapidly because organisations demand more control over how AI uses their content. Similar to the early days of robots.txt, LLMs.txt is emerging as a best practice for defining machine-readable rules for AI crawlers.
2. Where must the file be placed?
Only in the root directory. AI crawlers do not search deeper folders. The file must be located at: yourdomain.ch/llms.txt
3. Does LLMs.txt replace my robots.txt?
No. Both files serve different purposes and should exist in parallel.
- robots.txt controls crawling for search engines (SEO).
- LLMs.txt controls content usage for AI training and generation.
4. Do all AI models comply with this file?
No guarantee exists. Compliance is voluntary. However, major providers such as OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and Perplexity have publicly stated that they respect robots.txt-based rules. LLMs.txt builds on the same logic. Crucially, you send a clear machine-readable signal about your usage terms, which strengthens your legal position.
5. Can LLMs.txt improve my visibility in AI-generated answers?
Indirectly, yes. LLMs.txt is a component of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). By explicitly allowing certain content, you help AI systems understand which sources may be used or referenced. This increases the likelihood of correct and consistent brand representation. It is not a ranking factor, but a strategic instrument for controlled AI content exposure.
Conclusion: Set the Course Now
LLMs.txt is becoming an essential tool for organisations wanting to protect their data and actively define how AI interacts with their content. For Digital Marketing professionals and CMOs, now is the right moment to take a clear position. Those who wait risk that valuable content flows into AI models without permission, indirectly strengthening competitors and generic responses. Set clear rules early and secure your content sovereignty. If you need strategic, technological or operational support, we are ready to help, together with VERZE, to ensure a future-proof and effective implementation.
References
OpenAI – Publishers and Developers FAQ
Official information on usage, crawling and robots.txt logic for GPTBot.
https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12627856-publishers-and-developers-faq
Cloudflare – From Googlebot to GPTBot: Who’s crawling your site in 2025
Analysis of current AI crawler landscape and best practices.
https://blog.cloudflare.com/from-googlebot-to-gptbot-whos-crawling-your-site-in-2025
Stytch – How to block AI web crawlers: challenges and solutions
Overview of AI crawler risks and reasons why many media organisations block them.
https://stytch.com/blog/how-to-block-ai-web-crawlers
arXiv – ai.txt: A Domain-Specific Language for Guiding AI Interactions
Research paper on alternative machine-readable AI guidelines.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.07834
C2PA – Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity
Standard for digital content provenance, relevant for AI governance.
https://c2pa.org
Content Marketing revolutionised: Reception Marketing in practice. (07.02.2025). Brain & Heart Communication.
https://b-h.ch/blog/so-geht-reception-marketing/?utm_source=chatgpt.com