The rise of .AI: why is this TLD so attractive?
Discover why and how the .AI has become so popular, and the advantages it offers.
Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, artificial intelligence has moved from a niche technology to a mainstream revolution. This boom has been accompanied by an unexpected phenomenon: the rush for the .AI domain extension, which means Artificial Intelligence.
In just three years, the number of .AI domain registrations has grown from 148,000 to over 800,000. Startups, investors, and large companies alike are all competing for these two letters synonymous with technological innovation. But where does .AI come from? Why is it so attractive, and what are its advantages?
The amazing rise of artificial intelligence
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to technologies that enable machines to simulate human abilities such as learning, reasoning, recognition, problem-solving, and creativity. AI can be divided into several specialisations:
- Machine Learning (ML): automatic learning from data
- Deep Learning: deep neural networks for complex tasks
- NLP (Natural Language Processing): understanding and generating language
- Computer Vision: analysing and interpreting the real world
- Generative / creative AI: creating content (text, image, video, code)
- Robotics AI: versatile and autonomous intelligent machines
These branches and applications are applicable in many contexts and sectors: healthcare, education, commerce, finance, environment, security, and even art… In short, AI continues to advance and can be used everywhere… even to generate your domain name, what do you think? 🧐
The weight of AI today
Since 2022, the figures for the artificial intelligence sector have been staggering, demonstrating exponential growth.
According to a forecast by Statista, the global AI market already generated $136 billion in revenue in 2023 and could exceed $500 billion by 2028:
Global investments in AI have also reached record levels, surpassing the symbolic $100 billion in funding in 2024.
These figures are also reflected within companies. According to a 2024 McKinsey study, 72% of companies surveyed had deployed at least one AI function in their operations, compared to 50% in 2022. The most common applications include marketing and sales, customer service (with chatbots), operations (production, logistics), and research & development.
This AI boom has created a highly competitive ecosystem, and it is in this context that the .AI TLD has seen a turning point.
.AI: an extension that has become a must-have
The origin of .AI
The .AI is originally the official ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain) of the small island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory located in the Caribbean.
But since the leap forward in AI following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, .AI domain names have experienced significant growth. Tech companies are looking to quickly position themselves as AI actors, and this also involves their choice of domain name.
The good news is that, unlike many national extensions (ccTLDs), .AI has no restrictions and does not require local presence, which has contributed to its spectacular growth: anyone can choose to register a .AI domain name.
The .AI boom
Based on DNIB data, here is a brief overview of the evolution of the number of domains registered with the .AI TLD:
- 2020: ~107,000 domains
- 2021: ~126,000 domains
- 2022: ~148,000 domains
- 2023: ~359,000 domains (+142% vs 2022)
- 2024: ~598,000 domains
- Q3 2025: ~864,500 domains
According to a study by the registry Identity Digital, the use of the .AI extension grew by 300% between 2020 and June 2025. The chart below also shows that in the first half of 2025, 28% of new tech startups chose a .AI extension, compared to 46% for the traditional .COM. This proportion was only 7% in 2021.
The unexpected jackpot for Anguilla
This small island of fewer than 20,000 residents could not have imagined making fortune. Yet, like .TV (Tuvalu) or .IO (British Indian Ocean Territory), the .AI has had a spectacular economic impact on Anguilla.
In 2023, .AI domain registrations brought in no less than $32 million, or 10% of the island’s GDP. This new revenue stream was particularly welcome for Aguilla, after a year of COVID that deprived it of its tourism income, and the hurricanes it regularly has to contend with.
Faced with growing demand, in October 2024, Anguilla entrusted the technical management of .AI to the Identity Digital registry in order to continue ensuring server stability and anticipate the risks of future hurricanes.
Why choose the .AI extension?
An extension that gains value
The .AI TLD is not reserved solely for emerging tech startups: it also appeals to multibillion-dollar tech unicorns and established major players.
Notable examples include Claude, the AI model developed by Anthropic, which uses the domain claude.ai; and, notably, Google with its AI research portal: google.ai.
.AI domains are also making an impact on the secondary domain name market. Sales are already reaching high levels: ace.ai sold for $205,000 in March 2025, and the record is held by you.ai, sold for $700,000 in October 2023.
These prices are explained by the rarity of short and relevant domain names, with .COM increasingly saturated, making .AI a highly valuable extension and turning domain names into genuine digital assets.
Domain name: an intangible asset that must be protected
How to value a domain name and sell on the secondary market?
The advantages of registering a .AI domain
In a highly competitive sector, choosing a domain name is not a decision to be taken lightly: a .AI domain name will immediately indicate that your company is involved in artificial intelligence and innovation.
Here are a few examples of businesses for which .the AI TLD would be perfect:
- Startups and companies in Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning
- SaaS products incorporating AI features
- Platforms for creative tools and content generation (text, image, video, music, code)
- Technological research projects (research laboratories)
- Mobile applications using AI
Beyond its strong positioning, .AI offers numerous strategic advantages:
- No restrictions: .AI can be registered by anyone, without conditions
- Immediate positioning: a .AI domain instantly signals your place in the AI ecosystem, boosting credibility with partners and clients
- Memorable domain: the extension is short and meaningful, making your domain easy to remember
- Better availability: with ~160 million .COMs registered worldwide versus ~800,000 .AI, finding a short and relevant domain name is much easier with the .AI domain extension
- Growing legitimacy: treated as a gTLD by Google since May 2023, managed by the Identity Digital registry, and used by major players
- An intangible asset: innovative, .AI domains enjoy growing popularity and value on the secondary market
Register your .AI domain
If your project is part of the AI ecosystem, now is the time to secure your domain name and register your .AI.
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