The small self-governing British territory of Anguilla is reaping significant benefits after an increase in demand for .ai domains. The Caribbean island has owned the domain since 1995 and leased it mainly to local businesses.
In recent years, the number of Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups has created a significant demand for .ai domains. The domain is an attractive branding that gives emerging startups and established tech companies like Google and Facebook an edge in a rapidly growing AI market.
Current estimates predict that Anguilla will make as much as US $45 million in domain revenue in 2024. This figure is almost double the US $23 million earned in 2023.
Vince Cate has managed the registration of Anguilla’s domain for over twenty years, and he has noticed that the demand for the .ai domain rose rapidly after the introduction of ChatGPT. Demand will likely return to equilibrium in later years, but in the meantime, the Anguillan government plans to use the funds for business development and social programs.
