Slovenian .si Domain Registrations Surge After US Executive Order on AI Terminology
Slovenia’s national top-level domain, .si, experienced a 2,199% spike in registrations in September following a US executive order directing federal agencies to use the term “super intelligence” (SI) instead of artificial intelligence, according to a report by the Latvian news outlet kursors.lv. The sudden surge mirrors the early artificial intelligence boom that drove millions of euros in revenue to Anguilla through its .ai national domain.
Daily Registration Spikes and Global Hosting Trends
On September 30, exactly one day after the executive order was signed, registrants claimed 11 tūkstoši new .si addresses, pushing the 24-hour total to nearly 13 tūkstošus, kursors.lv reported, citing Klara Hermana of the Registry SI domain registry. Web hosting platform Hostinger reported that the .si extension unexpectedly climbed to the second most popular domain suffix on its platform, sitting directly behind the ubiquitous .com. More than half of those buyers originated in the United States and India, with many startups purchasing their brand names for defensive protection or speculative resale.
Pricing Differences and Registry Revenue Models
While the domain name rush shares visual similarities with Anguilla’s digital windfall, analysts note that Slovenia will likely generate different financial returns because of distinct pricing structures. On Hostinger, a .si domain costs roughly €11 per year, whereas a .ai address typically costs around €80 annually with a mandatory two-year registration term. Furthermore, revenue from Anguilla’s domain flows directly into government coffers, while proceeds in Slovenia remain with the registry operators, kursors.lv reported.
Frequently Asked Questions About the .si Domain Surge
Why did the US executive order cause a spike in Slovenian domain registrations?
The executive order mandated that US federal agencies use the term “super intelligence” (SI) rather than artificial intelligence, prompting buyers worldwide to snap up matching .si web addresses for branding and speculation.
Who is registering the new .si domain names?
More than half of the buyers purchasing the extensions through platforms like Hostinger come from the United States and India, consisting of startups securing brand assets and speculators looking to resell them.
How do .si domain costs compare to .ai addresses?
A .si domain costs approximately €11 per year on Hostinger, while a .ai domain costs about €80 per year with a mandatory two-year commitment, according to figures reported by kursors.lv.