Cohere · Cohere Terms of Use · View original document ↗

Acceptable Use and API Usage Restrictions

Medium severity Low confidence Inferredfromcontext Unique · 0 of 343 platforms
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Recent governance activity Cohere recorded 5 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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Document Record

What it is

The terms establish restrictions on how users may use the Cohere API and services, including prohibitions on submitting certain types of content to the models and restrictions on the types of applications that can be built using Cohere's API outputs.

This analysis describes what Cohere's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

API usage restrictions directly affect what developers and enterprise customers can build with Cohere's models; violations can result in account suspension or termination of API access.

Interpretive note: The specific acceptable use restrictions were not directly extractable from the truncated document text; this provision is inferred from the standard structure of AI API terms of service and the document's stated scope covering the Cohere API.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users and developers who submit content to the Cohere API or build applications using its outputs must comply with usage restrictions; the specific categories of restricted use are defined in the acceptable use policy, which is incorporated into or referenced by the Terms of Use.

How other platforms handle this

Cloudflare Medium

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities: (i) copying, distributing, or disclosing any part of the Service in any medium, including without limitation by any automated or non-automated 'scraping'; (ii) using any automated system, including without limitation 'robots,' 's...

Vercel Medium

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities: (i) copying, distributing, or disclosing any part of the Service in any medium, including without limitation by any automated or non-automated 'scraping'; (ii) using any automated system, including without limitation 'robots,' 's...

Egnyte Medium

Customer agrees not to use the Service to: (i) upload, store, or transmit any content that infringes any intellectual property rights or is otherwise unlawful; (ii) upload, store, or transmit any viruses, malware, or other harmful code; (iii) interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of...

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ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Acceptable use provisions for AI model APIs engage FTC consumer protection authority regarding deceptive practices, and may intersect with the EU AI Act's prohibited use categories for AI systems where the API is used to build downstream applications. GDPR's data minimization principles are also relevant where personal data is submitted through the API. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: High. For enterprise customers, the acceptable use restrictions define the boundaries of permitted commercial deployment; non-compliance can result in service termination, which may constitute a material operational risk for businesses that have built products on the API. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU AI Act prohibited use categories apply to downstream applications built on the API and deployed within the EU, regardless of where the API call originates. Organizations in regulated industries (healthcare, financial services) should assess whether specific use cases require additional compliance measures beyond what the Terms of Use address. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Enterprise procurement teams should confirm that the acceptable use restrictions in the standard Terms of Use are compatible with their intended deployment before committing to a production integration. Any use case involving sensitive data categories, automated decision-making, or high-risk AI applications as defined under the EU AI Act warrants specific legal review. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should document their specific API use cases and map them against the acceptable use restrictions; they should also assess whether any use cases trigger obligations under the EU AI Act, GDPR automated decision-making provisions, or sector-specific regulations.

Full compliance analysis

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has jurisdiction over unfair or deceptive practices related to service terms and API usage policies affecting US-based developers and businesses
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

California AB 2013 AI Training Data Transparency
US-CA

Provision details

Document information
Document
Cohere Terms of Use
Entity
Cohere
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 30, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-011097
Document ID
CA-D-00441
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
fce6a3fe9260708841b139a17617c1f2c9485f652de86766eaaf928e6f5e0872
Analysis generated
April 30, 2026 06:55 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Cohere
Document: Cohere Terms of Use
Record ID: CA-P-011097
Captured: 2026-04-30 06:55:06 UTC
SHA-256: fce6a3fe92607088…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/cohere/cohere-terms-of-use/acceptable-use-and-api-usage-restrictions/
Accessed: July 4, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cohere's Acceptable Use and API Usage Restrictions clause do?

API usage restrictions directly affect what developers and enterprise customers can build with Cohere's models; violations can result in account suspension or termination of API access.

How does this clause affect you?

Users and developers who submit content to the Cohere API or build applications using its outputs must comply with usage restrictions; the specific categories of restricted use are defined in the acceptable use policy, which is incorporated into or referenced by the Terms of Use.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Cohere?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Cohere.