Priya Patel
TLDR:
- Anguilla’s .ai domain extension is attracting tech companies interested in AI services
- Domain registrations and investments make up a third of Anguilla’s revenue
In 1988, Anguilla was assigned the .ai top-level domain by ICANN, not realizing the potential it held for the artificial intelligence boom. Now, nearly four decades later, the island is reaping the benefits as big and small companies flock to build AI websites using the .ai domain, generating significant revenue for the British Overseas Territory. The launch of ChatGPT in 2022 further accelerated the surge in domain registrations and sales on the island, with projections estimating a substantial increase in income from these registrations in the coming years.
One trailblazer in acquiring .ai domains, Igor Gabrielan, has amassed a collection of 750 domains for sale, awaiting interest from major companies. The popularity of Anguilla’s .ai domains can be compared to Tuvalu’s .tv domains, but with a key difference in how the revenue is managed. While Tuvalu works through business partners for domain registrations, Anguilla handles registrations internally, allowing the government to benefit more directly from the income generated.
Despite its small size and population, Anguilla’s domain registration revenue plays a significant role in its overall economy, with estimates suggesting a substantial increase in revenue from domain registrations in the coming years. The success of the .ai domain in Anguilla highlights the growing importance of domain extensions in the digital age, with other countries and businesses also capitalizing on the value of unique domain names.
