'.ai' websites are booming - and making millions for this tiny Caribbean nation

• '.ai' domain registrations are up 3x in three years, revenue is up 2x
• The top-level domain (TLD) is unique to the Caribbean island of Anguilla
• Anguilla plans to spend the revenue on critical infrastructure and sustainable projects

More than a million '.ai' domains have now been registered as of early January 2026, largely driven by the ChatGPT-induced global AI boom, and it's proving to be quite the money maker for Anguilla, a new report has found.

Research from Sherwood found the small British Overseas Territory has control over the '.ai' domain as its country code, which it has now turned into a major revenue stream worth an estimated $70 million per year, or the equivalent of around 20-22% of the government's total revenue.

Compared with 2023, the number of '.ai' domain registrations has near tripled from 354,000, with revenue more than doubling from an estimated $32 million.

Anguilla is benefitting from the AI boom, but in a different way

At present, around 37% of the Caribbean island’s revenue comes from tourism, marking a considerable reliance on international travel – a factor that was heavily affected by COVID. However, this additional revenue worth around a fifth of the government’s income serves as an important extra to bolster finances.

The average ‘.ai’ domain costs $140 per year, but the most staggering figure is the domain’s 90% renewal rate, indicative of long-term stability for Anguilla on this front.

And it’s not just AI startups that are paying for Anguilla’s domains – Google, x.ai and Perplexity are also cashing in on the brand-boosting trend.

The International Monetary Fund noted that Anguilla isn’t the only Small Island Developing State to have benefitted from its uniquely positioned domain ownership. Tuvalu previously saw a rise in the 1990s for its ‘.tv’ domain.

IMF noted that Anguilla plans to invest its domain-related cash in long-term sustainable projects, such as renewable energy. Key infrastructure like its airport could also benefit from this strike of pure luck.

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