.ai

This article is about the top-level domain. For the .ai file format, see Adobe Illustrator Artwork. For other uses, see Ai (disambiguation).

.ai

Introduced	16 February 1995
TLD type	Country code top-level domain
Status	Active
Registry	Identity Digital
Sponsor	Government of Anguilla
Intended use	Entities connected with Anguilla
Actual use	Some use in Anguilla; very popular with companies and websites related to artificial intelligence (AI).
Registered domains	1,277,727 (June 2026)
Registration 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).
Dispute policies	UDRP
DNSSEC	Yes
Registry website	www.nic.ai

.ai domain serves as the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory situated in the Caribbean region. The domain's administration remains under the jurisdiction of the Anguilla government.

The .ai extension has gained significant popularity within the artificial intelligence industry, with numerous companies and technological projects adopting this domain as a strategic web address choice. This widespread adoption has transformed what was originally a territory-specific designation into a globally recognised digital identifier for AI-related enterprises.

Google's search engine algorithm treats the .ai domain as a generic top-level domain (gTLD), reflecting the platform's recognition that "users and website owners frequently see [the domain] as being more generic than country-targeted." This classification became more formalized in 2021 when Google Search analyst Gary Illyes announced that ".ai" had been incorporated into Google's list of generic country-code top-level domains. This reclassification ensures that Google will no longer automatically infer Anguilla-specific geographical targeting from the ccTLD usage.

As of January 2025, Identity Digital assumed management responsibilities for the .ai domain registry, marking a transition in its administrative oversight while maintaining its established technical infrastructure and global accessibility.

Registration

The .ai domain registration system permits terms ranging from 2 to 10 years for both initial registration and renewal processes, with transfer operations requiring a 2-year renewal period. Identity Digital maintains authority over this domain extension's management and administrative functions. Domain registration services commenced on 16 February 1995.

Technical specifications for .ai domain names establish minimum character requirements between 1 and 3, varying by registrar, and maximum limits of 63 characters. The accepted character set encompasses uppercase and lowercase alphabetic characters (A-Z, a-z), numerical digits (0-9), and hyphens. As of November 2022, .ai domains do not support Internationalised Domain Name (IDN) characters. The registration process maintains no residency requirements or restrictions, welcoming applications from both local and foreign individuals and entities. 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. There are no requirements for registering a domain, including local and foreign residents.

Domains utilising the .ai extension remain subject to suspension or revocation proceedings when engaged in illicit activities, including trademark or copyright violations. Usage must comply with Anguilla's legal framework. The territory implements the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), necessitating arbitration through ICANN-approved dispute resolution service providers. When domains are registered with ICANN-accredited registrars, these entities collaborate with appointed arbitrators, typically resulting in either domain transfer or no action taken.

.ai domains demonstrate transferability to any desired registrar through the Electronic Provisioning Protocol (EPP) registration system. Previously, a whois.ai-based platform facilitated the procurement and auction of expired domains every ten days via standard online procedures. The final auctions on this platform concluded in December 2024, with the scheduled shutdown date of 30 June 2025 having been postponed, as the platform remained operational in subsequent months.