AI.com moves from ChatGPT to Elon Musk's X.ai
Introduction :
In February, there was some excitement when it was revealed that OpenAI had allegedly purchased AI.com flips from ChatGPT to redirect traffic to ChatGPT's web interface. However, Elon Musk, a former backer, Twitter user and X fan, suddenly seems to have taken the priceless domain out of their hands – or someone else may have done it for him – because AI. com now points to X.ai, the billionaire's startup machine learning research company.
Of course, domains are bought and sold daily. However, two-letter .com domains are rare and extremely expensive, especially those that form well-known words or abbreviations. Mashable notes that when AI.com began directing visitors to OpenAI's website, the domain could hardly have sold for less than IT.com, which sold for $3.8 million the previous year, and probably fetches a much higher price given the hype around artificial intelligence in general.
AI.com is sold by ChatGPT:
AI.com withdraws from ChatGPT (Image Source: ghanamma.com)
There is no doubt that OpenAI believed that purchasing AI.com would attract new, lifelong users. It may also have plans to move its consumer-facing features, such as ChatGPT's web client, to the shorter domain. We may never know, because X.ai has taken over the domain.
The news appears to have been originally published by Analytics India Magazine (possibly a bidder itself at some point). However, there isn't much to say about the change other than the transfer itself. It's just weird and expensive enough to mention here.
With only a few academics and engineers working on the project, one can only assume that, whatever Musk's instructions, X.ai remains primarily an abstract organization. Its stated goal is to “understand the true nature of the universe,” but no discernible progress has been made since the site launched in July. Musk has undoubtedly been active during this time.