[Repurposed from a full article by Simone Catania (InternetX), published in the inaugural version of The Domain Standard—a magazine created in collaboration with Freename.]
What do you get when artificial intelligence meets digital real estate? A market where two-letter extensions like .ai sell for six and even seven figures. Originally, Anguilla’s country code, .ai domains, has become the internet’s hottest property, powering startups, attracting investors, and shaping the future of Web3 domains. In 2022 alone, Anguilla earned over €26 million from .ai registrations.
Today, these names are not just URLs; they’re assets at the center of AI innovation and blockchain identity.
Why AI Domains Are Booming
The AI boom is rewriting domain trends. “AI” quickly climbed into Sedo’s top three search terms, reflecting investor demand for short, memorable AI domain names. Startups use them for branding and credibility; investors see them as digital gold. Sales like ace.ai ($205K) and zip.ai ($200K) prove that buyers are willing to pay premium prices for a category-defining name.
Scarcity and relevance drive the surge, perfect conditions for high-value trades.
Top 10 Most Expensive .ai Domains
Here are the standout .ai sales recorded through Sedo:
- expert.ai – $107,293
- analytics.ai – $50,000
- samur.ai – $50,000
- human.ai – $45,000
- board.ai – $29,438
- gene.ai – $25,148
- radius.ai – $21,500
- co2.ai – $15,107
- grab.ai – $12,500
- av.ai – $12,000
Beyond this list, recent blockbuster deals include turbo.ai ($165K), os.ai ($150K), and weather.ai ($150K, proof that strong keywords can fetch extraordinary sums.
What Expensive .ai Domains Mean for Web3 Domains
Why should Web3 domain investors care about these prices? Because .ai domains show how quickly extensions can shift from niche to mainstream once tied to a global trend. Just as .com ruled Web2, AI-driven names may set the tone for Web3 identity. Blockchain innovation could soon make AI domain names fully programmable: wallets, NFTs, DAOs, and transactions all tied to a simple human-readable address. In other words, the boom in .ai is a signal of what’s coming for Web3 domains at large.
How Freename Fits Into the AI + Web3 Domain Space
This is where Freename comes in. As the first ICANN-accredited Web3 domain provider, Freename enables users to mint, trade, and fully own blockchain-based domains. Unlike traditional registrars, Freename lets domains function as wallets, reputation layers, and programmable assets. For entrepreneurs betting on AI, this means you can secure not only a brand-defining .ai domain, but also extend that identity into decentralized ecosystems, bridging today’s AI hype with tomorrow’s blockchain reality.
Conclusion
From expert.ai to turbo.ai, expensive .ai sales highlight the growing value of domains tied to emerging technologies. They’re more than addresses; they’re assets fueling the identity layer of the new internet. For investors and builders, the takeaway is clear: AI is shaping the present, but Web3 domains will define the future.
