As seen in
Key takeaways:
Objective: The .ai extension has taken off, with registrations growing year over year by 50% in 2022 and 230% in 2023 before soaring to 300% in 2024. This growth has caused many new brands to take notice: it’s increasingly trusted by consumers, while elite one-word names are still affordable for early-stage startups.
As consumer recognition of this top-level domain grows, and investors increasingly say the domain is credible for non-AI brands, we’re seeking to help brands outside of the AI industry understand whether such a domain can boost credibility, or confuse their audience.
How credible is a .ai domain (e.g. Authorized.ai, Spring.ai) for brands in the following industries?
A representative panel of American consumers aged 18 – 64.
Question
While investors increasingly see the value of .ai domains across industries, consumers are more sceptical. Even for tech and SaaS brands with a non-AI focus, the domain can lack credibility and may even confuse your audience. However, some brands in industries such as gaming could leverage the extension to build a strong brand at an elite piece of online real estate.
.ai will undoubtedly be increasingly considered by brands, and domain name should always be considered within big picture brand positioning. Whoever you are, asking whether your audience is familiar with and trusting of a domain extension is key.
If you’re interested in digging deeper into our findings, or asking your own questions on domain choice and branding topics, contact thom@atomradar.com to learn more.
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Grant Polachek is Chief Growth Officer at Atom.com. With 15 years experience in marketing, he has run market research projects for brands like Dell, Hilton, and Alibaba. Grant has expertise in a range of topics including domain names, naming and digital marketing.
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