X.ai – The Revolution in AI Conversations
In February, there was a bit of a hotchpotch because OpenAI decided to redirect AI.com to their ChatGPT web interface. But before that, heavyweights like Twitter, Harvard, and Elon Musk had their hands on this valuable domain, X.ai, known for its cutting-edge machine learning research on billion-scale models.
Of course, domain buying and selling happens every day. However, two-letter .com domains are rare and highly valuable, especially those that form recognizable abbreviations or acronyms. When AI.com started redirecting to OpenAI’s site, Mashable reported that it could potentially be sold for less than $3.8 million, given its popularity due to the widespread coverage of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI probably hoped that acquiring AI.com would seamlessly transition the URL bar typers to become lifelong users. Or maybe they intended to transfer their consumer-facing activities, like ChatGPT’s web client, to this concise domain. We may never know for sure because now the domain has moved to X.ai.
The news was initially reported by Analytics India Magazine, though there’s not much valuable information beyond the domain relocation, and speculating on its cost and motives seems costly and extravagant.
X.ai remains a largely understated entity, where some brilliant minds work on cutting-edge technology, hidden behind what some might consider a mask. Their grand mission is to “understand the natural nature of the universe,” but since their site went live in July, they haven’t made much visible progress. Kosturi was probably quite occupied during that time.
What could this all mean? Has Sam Altman grown tired of his toy? Did the plans for the domain relocation fall through for X.ai? Was the sale merely a temporary starting point, or was there possibly a monthly lease involved? Was there a bidding war, or did someone lose interest?
Regardless of the reasons, it feels as though a wealthy couple is bickering over a shiny object. ChatGPT is one of the most recognized AI brands, so why spend a fortune starting from scratch? Moreover, X.ai is already concise and memorable (or at least it will be until eight other mask companies don’t go by the name X). There doesn’t seem to be much else on the site to warrant such a hefty expenditure unless OpenAI was absolutely certain about acquiring the domain, and Musk didn’t, and our emails will never bounce back.
If I had $10 million and the opportunity to buy AI.com, you know what I’d do? I’d make a fair offer to the apparent owner and then outbid their competitors by 50%. If that didn’t work, I’d switch to the adversary, offering it to the first company with a hard bargain. Here’s hoping some superhumans (if you will) use the same brainwave and hold one of these billionaires to ransom for a hard salary. If so, well played.
I doubt anyone up to this point bothers about AI.com’s proprietorship, and in reality, it may indeed be a vanity domain that nobody genuinely controls. Let’s all agree not to use it. That’ll teach everyone a lesson.
