.ai Domain: The Web Address of AI Companies
.ai is technically the country code domain (ccTLD) of Anguilla; the registry is run by the Government of Anguilla and the extension entered the root zone on 16 February 1995. Identity Digital has operated the registry platform since January 2025. Today .ai is used mainly by companies and projects working in artificial intelligence: because the extension matches the abbreviation 'AI' exactly, it has become the sector's de facto address. Local use tied to Anguilla continues alongside it.
You do not need any connection to Anguilla to register. The extension is open to island residents and applicants abroad alike, and no documents are requested during registration. If you are announcing a new AI product, a .ai address explains what you do in the domain name itself — the context is set before anyone reads your copy. If you want a more corporate identity, or the name you want is already taken on .ai, .com.ai offers a second route.
There is one practical trait worth knowing: .ai names are not registered in single-year terms but in terms of at least two years. Knowing this up front makes planning easier — your name is secured for longer and the renewal calendar gets less crowded. Short, memorable names go quickly in this extension, so waiting rarely pays off. Check whether the name you have in mind is free on the domain search page.
.AI Domain at a Glance
- Registry Government of Anguilla (nic.ai)
- Registry platform Identity Digital (since January 2025)
- Delegated 16 February 1995
- Prominent use Artificial intelligence companies and projects
- Document Requirement There are no requirements for buying .ai domain registration
- Country Anguilla
- Character Length 3 - 63 characters
- Registration Period 2 - 10 years
- Name Server Count 2 - 10 servers
.ai Domain Prices — No Surprise Fees
Registration, transfer and renewal fees are listed separately. The renewal price can differ from the first-year price, so you see both up front.
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New Registration
$199.90 / 2 years -
Transfer
$207.99 / 2 years -
Renewal
$223.99 / 2 years -
Restore
$419.90 -
Late Renewal
$0.00
Included With Every .ai Domain
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Free DNS management
Change A, MX, TXT and CNAME records yourself from the panel — no waiting on anyone when you move a site or mailbox.
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Domain lock
While the lock is on, nobody can move your domain to another registrar without your approval.
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Domain forwarding
Point the domain at your existing site, a campaign page or a social profile — at no extra cost.
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Free WHOIS privacy
Your name, address and phone stay out of public WHOIS records, which cuts down spam and scam calls.
.ai Domain Lifecycle
Domain lifecycle
The stages in order, from registration to releaseDomain Is Available (Available)
A .ai address at this stage has not been taken yet, and it goes to whoever registers first. Check the name you have in mind — if it is free, it can be yours within minutes.
Domain Is Active (Active Period)
Once registration is complete the domain is yours for the term you chose. You can renew at any point before expiry to keep it uninterrupted, or switch on auto-renewal so you never have to watch the date.
Redemption Period (Redemption Period)
The domain is not released the moment it expires — during this window it is still yours and can be recovered. Some extensions charge an extra restore fee at this stage, so renewing before expiry is always the cheaper route.
Pending Delete Period (Pending Delete Period)
If the redemption window is missed too, the domain enters the final stage and waits to be deleted. Renewal and recovery are no longer possible here; when the period ends the registration is removed for good.
Domain Is Available Again
Once deletion completes, the domain leaves the system and anyone can register it — popular names are often taken the same minute by someone watching. Keep auto-renewal on so a name you care about never gets this far.
.ai Domain Specifications and Registration Rules
Registration conditions, supported features and the registry's own timelines in a single table.
.ai Domain Registration
- Document Requirement There are no requirements for buying .ai domain registration
- Country Anguilla
- Character Length 3 - 63 characters
- Registration Period 2 - 10 years
- Name Server Count 2 - 10 servers
.ai Domain Support
- IDN Support No
- Transfer Support Yes
- Late Renewal Support Yes
.ai Domain Registration Periods
- Registration Periods 2,4,6,8,10 years
- Renewal Periods 2,4,6,8,10 years
- Pre-registration 1 days
- Accounting Period 1 days
- Finalization Period 1 days
- Failure Period 1 days
- Payment Period 1 days
- Redemption Period 1 days
- Deletion Hold Period 1 days
- Renewal Time 1 Day
Frequently Asked Questions About .ai Domains
The questions people actually ask before registering — answered plainly.
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No. Registration carries no residency, incorporation or local contact requirement; an island resident and a company based abroad can both register in their own name. No documents are requested during registration either. In practice this means the process runs exactly as it would for any international extension, and the address is ready to use once registration completes.
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This is a rule set by the registry for the extension: .ai names are registered and renewed in terms of at least two years rather than single years. That is why you will not see a one-year option at checkout. The everyday effect is a positive one — your renewal calendar becomes less crowded, and the risk of letting the name lapse unnoticed goes down.
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No. Although the extension is identified with the AI sector, its registration rules impose no requirement about your field of business, so a brand from any industry can register one. The choice does carry a message, though: visitors who see .ai usually expect a product connected to artificial intelligence. If that matches your work, the extension carries part of your explaining for you.
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WHOIS privacy is not offered on .ai, so do not plan on your registration details being masked. You can see what a lookup returns for any name on the whois search page. If you would rather keep a personal address and phone number out of sight, registering with your company details is the most practical route.
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A transfer starts with obtaining the authorisation code from your current provider and confirming the name is not locked against transfer. Your website and email keep working throughout, and the registration time you have left is preserved. Avoid starting a transfer when the name is very close to expiry, because it may not finish in time. Begin on the domain transfer page.
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Both belong to the same country extension; the difference is the level. A .ai name is registered directly at the second level and is shorter, while .com.ai sits one level down and foregrounds commercial identity. If brevity and recall matter most, .ai is the better fit. If the name you want is already taken on .ai, .com.ai is a practical way to keep the same wording.
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