View source for .ai

{{short description|Country code top-level domain for Anguilla}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}{{About|the top-level domain|the .ai file format|Adobe Illustrator Artwork|other uses|Ai (disambiguation)}}{{Infobox Top level domain
| name = .ai
| image = DotAI logo.svg
| introduced = 16 February 1995
| type = [[Country code top-level domain]]
| status = Active
| registry = [[Identity Digital]]
| sponsor = [[Government of Anguilla]]
| intendeduse = Entities connected with [[Anguilla]]
| actualuse = Some use in Anguilla; very popular with companies and websites related to [[artificial intelligence]] (AI).
| restrictions = None
| structure = Registrations possible at third level, beneath several second-level labels, are available to anybody; second-level registrations are now available to anybody as well (as of 26 June 2006).
| document = 
| disputepolicy = [[Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy|UDRP]] 
| dnssec = Yes
| website = {{url|https://www.nic.ai/}}
|registereddomains=904,276
|dateregistereddomains=30 September 2025
|refregistereddomains=<ref>{{Cite web|title=TLD info .ai|url=https://domainnamestat.com/statistics/tld/ai-TLD_ID-1236|access-date=2025-09-30|website=whois.ai}}</ref>}}
{{Artificial intelligence}}

'''.ai''' is the [[Internet]] [[country code]] [[top-level domain]] ([[ccTLD]]) for [[Anguilla]], a [[British Overseas Territories|British Overseas Territory]] in the [[Caribbean]]. It is administered by the [[government of Anguilla]].

It is a popular [[domain hack]] with companies and projects related to the [[artificial intelligence]] industry (AI).<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Purnell |first1=Newley |last2=Olson |first2=Parmy |date=2019-08-14 |title=AI Startup Boom Raises Questions of Exaggerated Tech Savvy |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-startup-boom-raises-questions-of-exaggerated-tech-savvy-11565775004 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190814155021/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ai-startup-boom-raises-questions-of-exaggerated-tech-savvy-11565775004 |archive-date=2019-08-14 |access-date=2020-01-27 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |via=www.wsj.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-12 |title=What's in a Name? Trends in Creating Robot and AI Company Names |url=https://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com/ai/whats-in-a-name-trends-in-creating-robot-and-ai-company-names/ |website=Robotics Business Review |access-date=2020-01-27 |archive-date=2023-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608073838/https://www.roboticsbusinessreview.com/ai/whats-in-a-name-trends-in-creating-robot-and-ai-company-names/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-a-tiny-island-is-still-a-domain-name-giant/|title=Why one tiny island is still a domain name giant|first=Liam|last=Tung|website=ZDNet}}</ref>

[[Google]]'s ad targeting treats .ai as a [[generic top-level domain]] (gTLD) because "users and website owners frequently see [the domain] as being more generic than country-targeted."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites |url=https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182192 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005224021/https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182192 |archive-date=2019-10-05 |access-date=2019-10-05}}</ref>

In 2021, [[Google Search]] analyst Gary Illyes announced that ".ai" had been added to Google’s list of generic country-code top-level domains, meaning that Google would no longer infer Anguilla-specific targeting from the ccTLD.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Illyes |first=Gary |title=We just added .ai to the list of generic country code top level domains |url=https://www.linkedin.com/posts/garyillyes_we-just-added-ai-to-the-list-of-generic-country-activity-6820906261361573888-07t3 |access-date=2025-09-30 |website=Linkedin |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Identity Digital]] began managing the domain as of January 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allemann |first=Andrew |date=2025-01-23 |title=Identity Digital is now managing .AI domains. Here's what this means for registrants |url=https://domainnamewire.com/2025/01/23/identity-digital-is-now-managing-ai-domains-heres-what-this-means-for-registrants/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=Domain Name Wire |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Second and third level registrations ==
Registrations within '''off.ai''', '''com.ai''', '''net.ai''', and '''org.ai''' are available worldwide without restriction. From 15 September 2009, second level registrations within '''.ai''' are available to everyone worldwide.

==Registration==
The minimum registration term allowed for .ai [[Domain name|domains]] is 2 through 10 years for registration and renewal, and a 2-year renewal for domain transfer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=V |first=Sky |title=.AI Domain Policies |url=https://support.opensrs.com/support/solutions/articles/201000068801--ai-domain-policies |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=OpenSRS Customer Support |language=en}}</ref> [[Identity Digital]] is the authority in charge of managing this extension. Registrations began on 16 February 1995. The limits on the number of characters used for the domain name are, at a minimum, from 1 to 3, depending on the [[Domain name registrar|registrar]], and always at most 63 characters.{{efn|Examples:

* [[OpenSRS]]: 3–63 characters<ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenSRS TLD Reference Chart |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13t4l-kO3qAio4RCF3j1lF0X2AxaIr_G5kFIqIF3LAZU/edit?gid=1203932299&usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=Google Docs |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[GoDaddy]]: 1–63<ref name="godaddy">{{Cite web |title=GoDaddy - About .ai Domains |url=https://www.godaddy.com/help/about-ai-domains-32220 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.godaddy.com |language=en}}</ref>
* EuroDNS: 2–63<ref>{{Cite web |title=.AI domain name registration |url=https://www.eurodns.com/domain-extensions/ai-domain-registration |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=EuroDNS}}</ref>
* TrueHost: 3–63<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mark |date=2024-07-15 |title=About .ai Domains - |url=https://www.truehost.com/support/about-ai-domains/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=Truehost|language=en-US}}</ref>}} The character set supported for .ai domain names includes A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and hyphen. As of November 2022, .ai domains cannot accommodate IDN characters.<ref name="godaddy"/> There are no requirements for registering a domain, including local and foreign residents.<ref name=":0" />

A .ai domain can be suspended or revoked, if the domain is involved in illegal activity such as violating trademarks or copyrights. Usage must not violate the laws of Anguilla.<ref>{{cite news |title=.AI Domain |url=https://domaintyper.com/domain-names/top-level-domains/ccTLD/ai-domain |access-date=2021-10-15 |work=domaintyper.com}}</ref>

Anguilla uses the [[Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy|UDRP]]. Filing a UDRP challenge requires using one of the [[ICANN]] Approved Dispute Resolution Service Providers. If the domain is with an ICANN accredited registrar, they should work with the arbitrator. Usually this means either doing nothing or transferring a domain. .ai domains are transferable to any desired registrars as the registration of domain is done maintaining [[Extensible Provisioning Protocol|EPP]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Whois ai|url=http://whois.ai/eppfaq.html|url-status=deviated|access-date=2021-11-10|website=whois.ai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308085824/http://whois.ai/eppfaq.html |archive-date=2024-03-08 }}</ref>

There used to be a whois.ai-based platform of expired domains in which those could be procured and auctioned every ten days through a standard online process.<ref>{{Cite web |title=.ai Domain Closed Auctions|url=https://auction.whois.ai/auctions/index/closed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250608194846/https://auction.whois.ai/auctions/index/closed |archive-date=2025-06-08 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=auction.whois.ai |language=en}}</ref> The last auctions of such kind closed there in December 2024; the platform had been scheduled for shutdown on 30 June 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |title=.ai Domain Auctions Homepage|url=https://auction.whois.ai/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250608194830/https://auction.whois.ai/ |archive-date=2025-06-08 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=auction.whois.ai|language=en}}</ref> but remained online in the months following that date.<ref>{{Cite web |title=.ai Domain Auctions Homepage |url=https://auction.whois.ai/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250710121428/https://auction.whois.ai/ |archive-date=10 July 2025 |website=auction.whois.ai |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 July 2025 |title=Check if a website is down |url=https://onlineornot.com/website-down-checker?requestId=GWibR1KVSUaQbEbQMSdMg&url=https://auction.whois.ai |website=OnlineOrNot |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=.ai Domain Auctions Homepage |url=https://auction.whois.ai/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20251007170604/https://auction.whois.ai/ |archive-date=7 October 2025 |website=auction.whois.ai |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 October 2025 |title=Check website performance and response: Check host - online website monitoring |url=https://check-host.net/check-report/2f9a6130k10b |website=Check host |language=en}}</ref>

== Valuation ==
Domains cost depends on the registrar, with yearly fees ranging from US$140 (the base fee, as established by Anguilla) to $200.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 June 2025 |title=How Much Does a Domain Name Cost? A Full Breakdown of Domain, Hosting, and Website Fees |url=https://unstoppabledomains.com/blog/categories/education/article/dns-fees |access-date=10 July 2025 |website=Unstoppable Domains |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Sophia |date=26 March 2024 |title=Why Are AI Domains So Expensive? The Surprising Truth § 3. Anguilla's Fixed Wholesale Price |url=https://www.namehero.com/blog/why-are-ai-domains-so-expensive-the-surprising-truth/#5-3-anguillas-fixed-wholesale-price |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218050713/https://www.namehero.com/blog/why-are-ai-domains-so-expensive-the-surprising-truth/ |archive-date=18 December 2024 |access-date=7 July 2025 |website=NameHero® Blog |language=en-US}}</ref> As of July 2025, the highest-valued .ai domain is an undisclosed one sold on 8 November 2023, on [[Escrow.com]], for {{US dollar|1,500,000}}—months after an initial {{US dollar|300,000|long=no}} sale to the same buyer.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Silverberg |first=David |date=8 November 2023 |title=The race to buy AI website addresses |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-67284936 |access-date=10 July 2025 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Among the publicly disclosed ones, the most valued, ''fin.ai'', was sold for {{US dollar|1,000,000|long=no}} in March 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top reported .ai domain sales |url=https://cognitive.ai/dotaisales.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250607074410/https://cognitive.ai/dotaisales.html |archive-date=7 June 2025 |access-date=10 July 2025 |website=cognitive.ai |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oli |first=Arjun |date=3 April 2025 |title=.ai - He possesses incredibly valuable .AI domain names. |url=https://www.namepros.com/threads/he-possesses-incredibly-valuable-ai-domain-names.1303808/post-9369010 |access-date=10 July 2025 |website=NamePros Forum |language=en-US |quote=Congratulations [on] the booming sales of Fin.ai and Qwen.ai! Fin.ai reached an impressive $1 million sale[.]}}</ref>

On 16 December 2017, the .ai registry started supporting the [[Extensible Provisioning Protocol|Extensible Provisioning Protocol (EPP)]] and [[Content migration|migrated]] all of its domains onto an EPP system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EPP FAQ |url=https://whois.ai/eppfaq.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200430122125/https://whois.ai/eppfaq.html |archive-date=30 April 2020 |website=whois.ai |at=Question 25: "The Dec 16, 2017 registration date seems wrong" |quote=When domains were loaded onto epp.whois.ai on Dec 16, 2017 the new system took that as the birthday for all the domains. […] The expiration dates were correctly handled during the migration[.]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite court|litigants=Baidu Online Network Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. v. Forgetmyface / 盛军强 (Junqiang Sheng a/k/a Johnny Sheng) and 吴比 (Wubi)|reporter=ADMINISTRATIVE PANEL DECISION|opinion=Case No. DAI2023-0050|pinpoint=page 2, note 1|court=[[World Intellectual Property Organization]]|date=8 February 2024|quote=The Panel notes that there was a technical migration of domain names within the [.ai registry] to a system using the Extensible Provisioning Protocol (“EPP”). As a result, the registration date for a particular domain name in the “.ai” ccTLD, reflected in WhoIs records around December 16, 2017, may not be accurate.|url=https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/decisions/pdf/2023/dai2023-0050.pdf}}</ref> Consequently, many registrars are allowed to sell .ai domains. Since that date, the .ai [[ccTLD]] has also been popular with [[artificial intelligence]] companies and organizations. Though such trends are primarily seen among new AI based companies or startups, many established AI and Tech companies preferred not to opt for .ai domains. For example, [[DeepMind]] has its domain retained at [[.com]]; [[Meta Platforms|Meta]] has redirected its facebook.ai domain to ai.meta.com.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chawla|first=Vishal|date=2020-03-08|title=Is .AI Domain Name Extension Any Valuable For AI Startups Or Just A Marketing Ploy?|url=https://analyticsindiamag.com/is-ai-domain-name-extension-any-valuable-for-ai-startups-or-just-a-marketing-ploy/|access-date=2021-11-10|website=Analytics India Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Impact on Anguilla's economy ==
The registration fees earned from the .ai domains go to the treasury of the Government of Anguilla. As per a 2018 ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' report, the total revenue generated out of selling .ai domains was $2.9 million.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lohr|first=Steve|date=2020-02-04|title=Tropical Breezes, Pristine Beaches and a Domain Name to Die For|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/business/custom-urls.html|access-date=2021-11-10|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Lohr|first=Steve|title=Anguilla, with its domain name, cashes in on a quirky trend|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/travel-news/sns-nyt-anguilla-cashes-in-on-quirky-domain-name-20200204-i3q4fohoyre2hmhm2d52rszgqa-story.html|access-date=2021-11-10|website=chicagotribune.com|date=4 February 2020 }}</ref>

In 2023, Anguilla's government made about US$32 million from fees collected for registering .ai domains; that amounted to over 10% of [[gross domestic product]] for the territory.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collins |first=Barry |title=The Tiny Caribbean Island That's Making A Fortune From AI |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/barrycollins/2024/01/31/the-tiny-caribbean-island-thats-making-a-fortune-from-ai/ |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-03-24 |title=AI boom makes millions for unlikely industry player, Anguilla |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/ai-boom-makes-millions-for-unlikely-industry-player-anguilla |access-date=2024-03-25 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923}}</ref>

"In the years before the real breakthrough of AI, revenue from .ai domains made up less than 1% of our state income, by 2025 it will be around 47%," explained Jose Vanterpool, Minister of Infrastructure and Communications (MICUHITES), in an interview with BBC.<ref>{{Cite web |title=.ai to generate nearly half of Anguilla’s revenue this year, tech minister tells BBC |url=https://anguillafocus.com/ai-to-generate-nearly-half-of-anguillas-revenue-this-year-tech-minister-tells-bbc/ |website=Anguilla Focus|access-date=2025-09-30}}</ref>

The high 90% renewal rate of .ai domains and the 2025 renewal wave of domains registered in 2023 are driving another surge in state revenues, according to Domaintechnik.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How AI Is Making the Caribbean Island of Anguilla Rich |url=https://www.domaintechnik.at/data/doc/manuals/ai-domain-en.pdf |website=Domaintechnik |access-date=2025-09-30}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Internet in Anguilla]]
* [[Internet in the United Kingdom]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/ai.html IANA .ai whois information]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20241122142030/http://nic.com.ai/ old .ai NIC page]
* [https://zenaida.cate.ai/ .ai domain registration page]
* [http://whois.nic.ai/ .ai whois page]

{{UK top-level domains}}
{{CcTLD|state=collapsed}}
{{Anguilla}}
{{Americas topic|Internet in }}
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[[Category:Communications in Anguilla]]
[[Category:Country code top-level domains]]
[[Category:Artificial intelligence]]

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