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Cloudflare announced Web Search API in beta on Oct. 2, 2026, giving AI agents and applications a way to retrieve live web results through AI Gateway. The launch includes Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup; Cloudflare says requests are billed at providers’ list API prices with no added markup.
Cloudflare announced Web Search API in beta on Oct. 2, offering AI agents and applications a way to search the live internet through its AI Gateway. The service is designed to let applications ground responses in current information rather than rely only on a model’s training data or guess at URLs.
At launch, developers can choose among Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup as search providers. Cloudflare says all three support Zero Data Retention for requests made through the company and have committed to its verified bot crawling standards. These are provider commitments described in Cloudflare’s announcement; the post does not detail how compliance will be measured.
Requests run through AI Gateway, where Cloudflare says they appear in gateway logs and are billed against AI Gateway credits at each provider’s list API price, with no additional markup. Developers may also supply their own provider API key. The announcement does not state whether that option changes how requests are logged or billed in every configuration.
Applications can call the API through a REST endpoint or from a Cloudflare Worker using the AI binding. The request includes a search query and provider, with an optional result limit and gateway identifier. Cloudflare’s example asks for seasonal activities in Salt Lake City and requests up to five results. The company directs developers to its usage documentation for setup details.
Live Search for AI Applications
The beta gives developers a Cloudflare-managed route to web search inside applications that need information newer than a model’s training data. Live results can help applications respond to current queries, although search access alone does not establish that a generated answer is accurate or that sources have been evaluated correctly.
Routing search through AI Gateway may also make it easier for teams already using the service to see requests in their gateway logs and manage provider charges through AI Gateway credits. The three-provider launch offers a choice of search services, while bring-your-own-key support gives developers another configuration option. Cloudflare has not published comparative performance figures or details about how the providers’ results differ.
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Cloudflare’s Gateway-Based Search
Cloudflare presents the API as a way for AI agents and applications to search the internet and use live information in their responses. Its announcement contrasts that approach with relying on a model’s training cutoff or guessing URLs. The beta is delivered through AI Gateway rather than as a standalone search interface for end users.
The announcement was published on Oct. 2, 2026. It identifies three launch providers and describes REST and Worker-based access, but does not provide a launch date for general availability. The company’s usage guide is the cited source for implementation instructions.
“Web Search API is now available in beta.”
— Cloudflare
live internet search tools for developers
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Beta Scope and Provider Details
Cloudflare has not specified when the API will leave beta, whether additional search providers will join, or whether pricing or features will change before general availability. The announcement also gives no provider-by-provider data on coverage, result quality, latency or availability.
The post describes Zero Data Retention and verified crawling standards as provider commitments, but does not explain the verification process or provide technical detail about request handling. It also does not report customer adoption or measured effects on the accuracy of AI-generated responses.
web search API for AI applications
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Developers Begin Testing the API
Developers can start using the beta through Cloudflare’s REST API or the AI binding in Workers, following the company’s usage guide. As teams test the service, further details on provider performance, operational limits and the path to general availability may emerge; Cloudflare’s announcement does not give a schedule for those updates.
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Key Questions
What did Cloudflare announce?
Cloudflare announced Web Search API in beta, a service for applications and AI agents to request live internet search results through AI Gateway.
Which search providers are available at launch?
The launch providers are Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup, according to Cloudflare’s announcement.
How are API requests billed?
Cloudflare says requests through AI Gateway are billed to AI Gateway credits at each provider’s list API price, with no additional markup. Developers may also use their own provider API key.
Is Web Search API generally available?
No. Cloudflare describes the service as being in beta. The announcement does not give a date for general availability.
Source: hn
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