Anguilla has hosted a high-level global summit for .ai domain registrars, bringing together major international tech and digital industry players.
The event comes as interest in the artificial intelligence-linked web addresses continues to surge, with the island recording significant income from .ai domain registrations.
The Government of Anguilla and .ai domain registry operator Identity Digital welcomed about 48 registrars and stakeholders to Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel between 14 and 16 April.
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Fadi Chehade, chair of the board of Identity Digital, said the company is committed to ensuring .ai is used globally to support innovation and identity in a secure, sustainable and internationally scalable way.
“And [while] the top level domain .ai grows, Anguilla’s name grows and it brings Anguilla to the world in a new way – in a way that frankly the whole world is focused on now, which is artificial intelligence.”
He said the island finds itself at a “fulcrum of a revolution” that is going to change the world, adding: “And no better place, no better people to be behind .ai than the great people of Anguilla.”
Attendees included representatives from domain name registrars Namecheap, Squarespace, Porkbun and GoDaddy, a government press release said on 23 April.
Discussions focused on the growing economic potential of the domain, its role in driving innovation and strengthening global visibility for Anguilla, as well as positioning the island at the centre of the AI sector.
Hillan Klein, CEO of Namecheap and Spaceship, said the summit had allowed the company to look at how it impacts not only its customers but its partners.
“It’s really moving to hear about the impact that our work is having on the individuals, on the people who live on this island, on the community and arguably the large family that you have on the island,” he said.
“So we want to do more to help support this community, and to try and not only embrace .ai but the people of Anguilla and to do our best to enable you guys to continue to grow and to prosper.”
Information technology minister Jose Vanterpool said: “I truly believe that technology as a driver is a meaningful way to bring economic impact.”
He explained that the aim is to take Anguilla’s success story to Caribbean neighbours “so that we as a region can grow together”.
The government welcomed the continued interest and investment in the .ai space and said it remains committed to advancing opportunities within the digital economy.
Tourism minister Cardigan Connor said: “It’s not a job – it’s a commitment to a nation and nations to come, and I think that’s been the biggest positive about all of this.
“To our friends from Identity Digital, we say thank you so much for making this happen and for all of you, go out there and promote Anguilla.”
Identity Digital CEO Akram Atallah thanked Anguilla for its hospitality and said the island was the main draw for attendees.
“Of course, everybody so far has been so impressed by the welcome that they got from the locals that they actually are loving the journey and they’re loving the conference,” he said.
“We’ve been able to do both business and pleasure at the same time with a quality that is second to none.
“[This] beautiful island is actually just transformative. It makes everybody very happy, and it’s much more conducive to actually get our points across when they are in such a pleasant environment.
“So we thank Anguilla for the hospitality, and we thank the people of Anguilla mostly for their smiles and their welcoming.”
Watch highlights from the summit below:
