Cloudflare announced Web Search API through AI Gateway on October 2, 2026. The initial providers are Ceramic.ai, Exa and Linkup. The service supplies structured search results for model context when an application needs information published after training or updated documentation. Source
Two integrations are available now
An existing backend or external service can call the REST endpoint with a Cloudflare account ID and AI Gateway authentication token. A Cloudflare Worker can use the env.AI.websearch binding and specify the query, provider and result limit. Both are current integration paths. Source
Native AI Gateway server tools that let the gateway run search during model inference are planned for later, with no firm availability date in the announcement. To use search as an agent tool today, developers must define the tool and orchestrate the follow-up model call themselves. Separate available features from the roadmap when planning an implementation. Source
Choose between credits and an existing provider key
Search requests can draw from AI Gateway credits, while customers with an existing provider account can use BYOK, or bring your own key. Cloudflare says it charges the partners’ listed API price without an additional markup, but the actual cost still depends on the selected provider, request volume and contract. Calls appear in the usual AI Gateway observability logs. Source
Retention needs a provider-level check. Cloudflare says it will identify partners that support Zero Data Retention, but does not say every launch provider offers it. An application sending sensitive queries should review the selected provider’s retention policy and any BYOK contract before deployment. Source
Evaluate source handling as well as search quality
Participating providers must meet Cloudflare’s verified-bot requirements, respect robots.txt and include links to source locations. Those rules do not automatically guarantee that every result is correct. A production design still needs decisions about displaying source links and handling stale or conflicting results. Source