A small island in the Caribbean is enjoying a windfall thanks to AI – but not through large language models or the latest buzz surrounding Nvidia.
Anguilla, an overseas British Territory with a population of about 16000, is cashing in on something dating from the infancy of the internet – a country's designated domain.
The territory was designated .ai when its country code top-level domain (or ccTLD) was registered in 1996. This was about 11 years after .us was registered for website addresses in the United States and .uk for the United Kingdom.
According to Domain Name Stat, a website tracker, there are almost 878,000 .ai pages in use – or 54 for every island resident. The number has doubled in the past year.
How valuable is the .ai domain?
Your average Anguillan is not buying .ai. Instead, technology firms are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the addresses to highlight their AI products.
US tech boss Dharmesh Shah spent a reported $700,000 (Dh2.56 million) on you.ai.
Mr Shah told the BBC he bought the address for an idea around an AI product that allows people to create “digital versions of themselves” that will carry out specific tasks on their behalf.
The page currently redirects to a YouTube video of a TED Talk starring Mr Shah.
The Anguillan government reported revenue of $39 million in 2024 from selling domain names, up from an estimated $32 million the previous year. This accounts for more than 20 per cent of the government's total revenue, behind only tourism (37 per cent).
The IMF noted that Anguilla has been savvy with its pricing model, charging $140 for a two-year registration period. “This model not only encourages new registrations but also guarantees a steady stream of income from renewals, given that about 90 per cent of domains are renewed after two years,” it said.
Is Anguilla the first?
Anguilla's revenue boost is similar to the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, which capitalised on the .tv domain from the late 1990s with the glut of television channels entering the webspace.
The country still enjoys a significant revenue boost thanks to streaming platforms such as Twitch. Tuvalu estimated it collected $10.8 million from the domain, according to its 2024-2025 budget.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Pathaan
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NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
RESULTS
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Hugo Lebouc (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Karaginsky, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Sadeedd, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
3pm Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Blue Sovereign, Clement Lecoeuvre, Erwan Charpy.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Bladesmith, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20Profile
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ANALYSTS’ TOP PICKS OF SAUDI BANKS IN 2019
Analyst: Aqib Mehboob of Saudi Fransi Capital
Top pick: National Commercial Bank
Reason: It will be at the forefront of project financing for government-led projects
Analyst: Shabbir Malik of EFG-Hermes
Top pick: Al Rajhi Bank
Reason: Defensive balance sheet, well positioned in retail segment and positively geared for rising rates
Analyst: Chiradeep Ghosh of Sico Bank
Top pick: Arab National Bank
Reason: Attractive valuation and good growth potential in terms of both balance sheet and dividends
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
