Register your .ai domain

Q: Why are .ai domains so expensive?

Unlike .com where you usually see quite consistent pricing, .ai domain names can vary in price quite dramatically and how in-demand the domain is at the time can also play a role. Because of the popularity of the .ai domain rapidly increasing, many domain name investors got there first and bought as many sought-after domain names as possible in order to sell them at higher prices. This doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if your desired domain is taken - a quick email to the owner and you can find out for how much they are willing to sell it to you. Going this route could mean that prices range from under $1,000 to a few thousand dollars. Buying a .ai domain from IONOS means that you never have to see shocking prices like these. .ai domains start from $.

Q: Which companies are using a .ai TLD?

Many companies are turning their backs on the traditional .com domain extension in favor of more unique and sometimes descriptive TLDs, which especially makes sense as there are increasingly fewer available .com domains left to choose from. Companies that are using .ai domains include uber.ai, facebook.ai, zoom.ai, and notebook.ai. These companies have realized that it makes sense to jump on the .ai domain bandwagon due to its rising popularity – in 2018, .ai replaced .net as the third most popular alternative domain extension.

Q: What are the requirements for registering a .ai domain?

Before 2009, it was necessary to show proof of local presence in Anguilla in order to buy a .ai domain, but that’s not the case anymore since .ai is now an unrestricted domain. When registering your domain name, you must take into account that it must be between 1 and 63 characters long, numbers, letters, and hyphens are allowed, but no special characters. For .ai domain registration with IONOS, simply use the search field to make sure your desired name is available, add any extras such as matching email address, web hosting, or WordPress, and then buy the .ai domain.

Q: Can I transfer an existing .ai domain to IONOS from my current provider?

Yes. Transferring your existing .ai domain to IONOS is very straightforward. New customers first need to create an account with IONOS, then the process for transferring your domain to IONOS is the same whether you are a new or existing customer. First, contact your current provider to prepare your .ai domain for the domain transfer and access the authorization code. Then start the domain transfer with IONOS and confirm the transfer with the authorization code from step 1. Please note: It’s important that the initial registration of the .ai domain name was at least 60 days ago and the domain has been with your current provider for at least 60 days.

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What is a .ai domain?

The .ai domain has been around since 1995 and was originally created as a country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the country of Anguilla.

But since ‘AI’ is the acronym for ‘Artificial Intelligence’, the domain has become popular among tech and IT companies as a generic top-level domain (gTLD) and is now one of the most sought-after domain endings.

Some country code domains require you to have a physical presence in the country in order to register a domain name.

This was first the case with the .ai domain, but since 2009, it’s been possible to register it no matter the location. The .ai domain has even been hailed as the new .com in the startup world. With a .com domain, most names have already been taken, but since the .ai domain is fairly new, it’s a far less saturated tech namespace so there’s a greater selection of names.

Graphic illustrating how you can stand out from the crowd

For which purposes is the .ai domain suitable?

As well as being used by businesses in the Caribbean island of Anguilla, the .ai domain is now the go-to choice for Artificial Intelligence businesses and startups and adds credibility and legitimacy in a subtle way, which can increase a website’s chances of being visited.

Another great advantage of the .ai domain is that the second-level domain (the section before .ai) can be used to make a word ending in ‘ai’. For example, ch.ai if the website sells black tea, or shangh.ai for websites about China’s biggest city. Visitors will know straightaway what the website entails before they’ve even clicked on it.