Key takeaways:

• 67% of investors consider the .ai domain credible for startups outside the AI industry.
• 96% of investors say that domain extension is important for credibility.
• Just 4% of investors say that domain extension doesn’t influence credibility.

Objective: Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, AI has reached new heights of consumer consciousness, and the .ai extension is becoming increasingly valued and well-recognized. Still, it’s closely associated with AI technology, and new startups need to be careful to use domain extension in their brand positioning. Now, with over 12% of newly-funded startups operating from the .ai extension, some startups without an explicitly AI angle are choosing this domain.

To better guide brand choices, we wanted to find out how investors perceived the credibility of the .ai TLD for brands outside of the AI industry.

Question:

As an investor, how credible would you consider a company outside the AI industry that uses a .ai domain name (e.g., authorized.ai)?

• Very credible
• Somewhat credible
• Neutral
• Somewhat not credible
• Not at all credible
• Domain extension does not influence my perception of credibilty

Audience:

Venture capitalists, private equity investors, and angel investors.

Overall Results

• 67% of investors consider the .ai domain credible for startups outside the AI industry.
• 96% of investors say that domain extension is important for credibility.
• Just 4% of investors say that domain extension doesn’t influence credibility.

As an investor, how credible would you consider a company outside the AI industry that uses a .ai domain name (e.g., authorized.ai)?

Conclusion

This data demonstrates that a .ai domain extension can be a valuable brand asset for startups outside the AI industry and can enhance credibility with investors. However, startups should remain cautious: impressing investors is half the battle, and brands must consider customer perception. Be sure to send the right signals about your brand, the technology it’s based on, and your brand positioning with your choice of top-level domain. 

If you’re interested in digging deeper into our findings, or asking your own questions on consumer, branding and worklife topics, contact thom@atomradar.com to learn more.

Further Reading

• Must-Read Insights on Domain Names Backed by Deep Audience Research
• Industry Insights: Building an AI Startup Brand the Smart Way
• Domain Extension Perception Survey: 70% Place Implicit Trust in .com Domains

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About The Author

Thom Davies

Thom Davies is a researcher at AtomRadar and content strategist for Atom.com. His background in quantitative and qualitative analysis is the foundation for data-led brand strategy.

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