The AI Frenzy Turns Anguilla’s .ai Domain into a Digital Goldmine
The small Caribbean island of Anguilla, lacking in natural resources and heavily reliant on tourism, is expected to earn $30 million this year from its .ai domain. The explosive interest in AI has transformed this domain into a digital goldmine.
Anguilla, a British territory in the Caribbean Sea with only 91 square kilometers of land and a population of just 15,753, has unexpectedly gained popularity in the field of technology. The reason behind this newfound fame is its .ai domain extension, which is closely associated with the abbreviation AI, standing for Artificial Intelligence.
Last year, Anguilla earned $7.4 million from registrations in its domain, but the situation dramatically changed after the launch of the ChatGPT chatbot. This event triggered a wave of interest, investments, and even concerns in the field of AI. Vince Cate, the manager of Anguilla’s domain, which he has overseen for many decades, reported that the number of registrations has doubled in the past year.
The top-level domain .ai was assigned to Anguilla in 1995. Originally, countries were allocated national top-level domains (ccTLDs) in 1985, such as .us (United States), .uk (United Kingdom), and .de (Germany). Over time, some of these national domains, like .tv for Tuvalu, have been used in a broader context.
This is precisely what happened with the .ai domain, which has become a global symbol of AI. Startups like Stability.ai and Character.ai specifically chose it, significantly contributing to the revenue of the coral island.
Registrars like GoDaddy pay Anguilla a fixed fee of $140 for a two-year registration, and these prices are increasing due to high demand.
The unexpected surge in interest in AI technologies and the prominence of .ai domains have not only boosted Anguilla’s revenue but also made it a notable player in the tech world, despite its small size and limited resources.
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- I'm Vasyl Kolomiiets, a seasoned tech journalist regularly contributing to global publications. Having a profound background in information technologies, I seamlessly blended my technical expertise with my passion for writing, venturing into technology journalism. I've covered a wide range of topics including cutting-edge developments and their impacts on society, contributing to leading tech platforms.
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