Slovenian .si Domains Surge 2199% After Trump Mandates ‘Superintelligence’ Terminology

Slovenia Benefits Unexpectedly as Demand for .si Domains Skyrockets Following Trump’s AI Terminology Shift

According to НВ — Техно: Published on October 2, 20:03

Following a directive from former US President Donald Trump requiring government agencies to replace the term AI with SI-standing for superintelligence-the Slovenian internet domain .si has seen an extraordinary spike in demand. This policy change prompted a sharp increase in registrations of .si domains, mostly tied to the new superintelligence branding.

Explosive Growth in .si Domain Registrations

In September 2023, registrations for .si domains surged by an astonishing 2199%. On September 30 alone, about 11,000 new .si domains were registered, jumping to nearly 13,000 on October 1. On the Hostinger platform, .si ranks just behind the globally dominant .com domain in popularity. That day, Hostinger customers registered roughly 4,300 .si domains, which rose to 5,400 the following day.

More than half of these .si domain buyers on Hostinger hail from the United States and India. Interestingly, only 3% of these domains have clear connections to artificial intelligence.

While the .ai domain, owned by the Caribbean island territory of Anguilla, has become a vital economic driver there, the surge in .si registrations represents a valuable windfall for Slovenia. “For Anguilla, .ai evolved into a second economy. For Slovenia, .si is a welcome bonus,” said Klaudijus Janutis.

Some buyers are snapping up .si domains with hopes of reselling them at a profit. Kim Tan, CEO of the PR agency Genius PR, acquired the .si version of his company’s name, commenting, “Who knows where this will lead, but I’m glad to take the chance.”

On Hostinger, an annual .si domain registration costs around $12, in contrast to the .ai domain which is priced at about $90 for two years. Revenue from .si domain sales goes directly to Slovenia’s registry, whereas .ai domain earnings benefit Anguilla’s government. This terminology shift has therefore provided Slovenia with an unexpected financial boost.

The rising popularity of the .si domain highlights emerging digital economy opportunities for Slovenia and reflects a growing global interest in cutting-edge tech terms. The adoption of ‘superintelligence’ may reshape domain markets and fuel innovation in fields related to artificial intelligence, potentially unlocking new avenues for business and investment around the world.