Register a .ai Domain

Good to Know:

This page does not list prices. Registration and renewal prices change, so the search result and the checkout page show the current price for the name you choose. Nothing here is a quote, a promotion or a guarantee.

What .ai tells people about your business

When a technical buyer, an investor or a partner sees .ai, they expect a company that builds with artificial intelligence. That expectation is the product. It opens conversations that a .com does not, and it filters out people looking for a general web shop.

.ai is a country-code domain for Anguilla, run with Identity Digital as the backend provider. That detail matters for registry rules, not for customers. Visitors read it as an AI signal, not as a geographic one.

The signal is only useful if it is true. A company that adds a chatbot to an otherwise ordinary product may find that .ai sets expectations it cannot meet. A company whose core work is models, data or AI infrastructure gets the opposite effect.

The ownership cost of a .ai domain

A .ai registration is not a one-year purchase. Registration and renewal are separate charges, and both are usually higher than the equivalent .com. That is why this page talks about ownership cost rather than the price of the first year.

Year one versus every year after

Registration terms for .ai run in 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 year blocks. There is no single-year option. Your first payment therefore covers at least two years, and the annual cost is best understood by dividing that first term rather than by comparing it with a one-year .com.

Why the renewal is the number that matters

The renewal is the figure that decides whether the domain is sustainable. A name that looks affordable at registration can become a budget problem at renewal. Check the renewal price in the search result and write it down before you pay.

Premium and short names

Short or common .ai names are often premium listings or resold by their current owner. Read whether the result is a standard registration or a premium listing, because the two behave differently at renewal.

How .ai registrations work

These are the current rules for .ai, as listed in the .ai help article:

Who can register: anyone. There is no residency or business requirement.
Terms: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 years for both registration and renewal. Single-year terms are not offered.
Name rules: 1 to 63 characters, letters, numbers and hyphens. Hyphens cannot sit at the start or the end, and special characters are not allowed. Internationalized domain names are not supported.
DNS: 1 to 13 nameservers, with IPv4 and IPv6 supported. DNSSEC is not supported.
Renewals: auto-renew is attempted on the expiration date. If it fails, the domain is parked. If it is not renewed within 40 days after expiration, it is cancelled and removed from your account.
Transfers: transfers to Famous Registrar are supported and add 2 years to the current term. Transfers away are supported, and transfer lock is available.
Privacy: Domain Privacy is supported.
Backorders: not supported for .ai.
Cancellation: contact customer support to cancel a .ai domain.

Registry rules and provider policies can change. Treat this as a summary of current practice, not a permanent guarantee.

Is .ai the right fit for your project?

Strong fits

You sell a product whose core is AI: a model, an API, data tooling, automation or research.
Your buyers are technical and already look for .ai names.
You are raising or partnering in an AI-focused market, and the address does some of the explaining.
You can carry a multi-year registration and a higher renewal without it becoming a distraction.

Weak fits

You run a general local business whose customers will never type .ai.
You use AI as one feature inside a broader product and do not want to be defined by it.
You need DNSSEC or internationalized domain names.
The renewal cost would force you to drop the name in a year or two.

.ai next to .com and .io

Extension	What it signals	Best for	Watch out for
.ai	You build with artificial intelligence	AI products, research, data and automation	Higher renewal and a multi-year minimum term
.com	A general, established business	Almost any commercial or personal site	Most short names are already taken
.io	Software, products and developer tools	Technical products that are not AI-first	Visitors outside tech may not read the signal

Compare .ai and .com or compare .io and .ai if you are deciding between two.

Three-year cost planner

Prices are not listed here, but you can build an honest budget in a few minutes. Open the search result for your name and note each figure.

Cost line	What to note	Where to confirm
Registration term	The total for the minimum term you choose, which is at least two years	Search result
Renewal	The price that applies after the first term	Search result or cart
Privacy	Whether it is included for this name	Checkout
Other services	Email, hosting or anything else you add	Checkout
Three-year total	Add the first term and the renewal that follows, then divide by three for a yearly view	Your own notes

Who this is best for

This page is for AI founders, developers, research teams and technical consultancies deciding whether the .ai signal is worth its cost. It is also for a company already set on .ai that needs to understand the multi-year term before paying.

It is less useful if you are choosing between .ai and another technical extension. The comparison pages cover that decision directly.

Things to consider before registering

Minimum term. Two years at the shortest. Budget for the term, not for one year.
Renewal price. Check it in the search result and write it down before you pay.
DNSSEC. Not supported on .ai. If your setup requires it, choose another extension.
IDNs. Not supported. Use standard characters.
Backorders. Not available, so a taken name cannot be backordered through us.
Cancellation. Requires contacting support, so plan ahead rather than assume a self-serve cancellation.
Privacy. Supported on .ai, but confirm what it covers for your registration type at checkout.

Frequently asked questions

Is .ai more expensive than .com?

Usually yes, on both registration and renewal. The gap varies by name and by whether the domain is a standard registration or a premium listing. Check the current price in the search result before you commit.

Do I have to register .ai for more than one year?

Yes. .ai registrations and renewals run in terms of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 years. There is no single-year term, so the first commitment is always multi-year.

Can anyone register a .ai domain?

Yes. There is no residency or business eligibility requirement. The name rules still apply: 1 to 63 characters, letters, numbers and hyphens, with no hyphens at the start or end.

Does .ai support DNSSEC?

No. DNSSEC is not supported for .ai domains at this time, so if DNSSEC is a requirement for your setup, .ai will not meet it.

What happens if I do not renew a .ai domain?

Auto-renew is attempted on the expiration date. If it fails, the domain is parked. If it is not renewed within 40 days after expiration, it is cancelled and removed from your account. Timelines can change, so confirm with the registry or our help center.

Should I register the .com as well?

That depends on how much you rely on the name. A .com can protect against a common mistype and gives customers a familiar alternative. Treat it as a budget decision, not an automatic purchase.

Does a .ai domain help my search rankings?

No. An extension does not guarantee rankings. Search engines treat the domain as an address. Content, structure and usefulness do the ranking work.

General information:

A guide, not a guarantee. This page is general information to help you compare options. It is not legal, financial or tax advice, and it is not a promise that a name is available, that a price will hold, or that a registry rule will stay the same. Confirm current details in the search tool before you register.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-19. This page describes current practice and general information. Prices and registry policies can change.