Yet in the last few years, this British overseas territory has found a surprising source of wealth, ownership of two letters: .ai.
The “.ai” country code was introduced in the 1990s to give Anguilla an online identity.
Then, as the world’s fascination with artificial intelligence accelerated, those same letters took on an entirely new meaning.
Suddenly, every tech entrepreneur and startup wanted a domain ending in “.ai.”.
In 2024, Anguilla generated around $39 million from .ai domain registrations – nearly 25% of its total government revenue.
The global surge in “.ai” demand arrived suddenly, forcing Anguilla’s tiny registry office to modernise its systems.
Others see it as poetic justice – a small island, often overlooked, quietly profiting from the technologies that dominate global headlines. »