LONDON: American web hosting provider GoDaddy is to bring the .AI domain to Saudi Arabia, the company announced on Monday.
Short for artificial intelligence, the domain will offer a variety of commercial opportunities to companies and professionals in the field, the firm said.
It added that the new offerings would be in line with the Kingdom’s ambitious AI growth plans.
Selina Bieber, vice president for international markets at GoDaddy, said: “Having seen the Kingdom’s progress in AI first hand, we are excited to be part of this journey by offering .AI domains, which will undoubtedly add value to the AI community in Saudi Arabia.”
Go Daddy pointed out that as well as providing entrepreneurs with a “powerful branding tool,” it would help in choosing the right domain and dedicated domain brokers “in the event that a desired domain is already taken.”
The company noted that its mission was to support the “nation’s thriving AI community,” making it easier for professionals to establish a stronger digital presence.
In recent months, individuals, companies, and governments around the world have been rushing to harness the potential of AI.
In 2019, Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Data and AI Authority to drive the country’s data and AI agenda and develop a multi-phased approach with the aim of strengthening the sector in the Kingdom while positioning the nation as a global hub.
“AI is set to contribute $135 billion to Saudi Arabia’s economy and (the country’s) will see AI’s contribution to gross domestic product rise to 12.4 percent in 2030, making it the biggest beneficiary of AI in the Middle East.
“By introducing .AI domains in the Kingdom, we aim to provide a platform for businesses and individuals to fully embrace AI’s transformative potential,” Bieber added.
A recent study by IBM suggested that AI was set to dramatically reshape Saudi Arabia’s economy, with 85 percent of business leaders in the country believing that generative AI would have a major impact on their customer offerings or business operations within the next three years.
In July, UK-based Tortoise Media published a report which ranked Saudi Arabia as the world leader for government strategy in AI.
