Last year was the year of Cryptocurrency and Blockchain. What’s hot in domains is usually driven by developments in other areas of the world and domaining in 2019 is already being influenced by a new wave of current events and technologies. Here are just a few we’re keeping an eye on:
.AI domains
We explored this previously as we’ve noticed a strong uptick in the amount of interest in .AI domain names. This may be attributed to the recent rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies, with start-ups springing up and using the .AI extension to reflect their company’s brand in the tech field. It’s also much easier to register a .AI domain than it used to be.
Zoom.ai and Integrate.ai are two Toronto-based companies that have made use of the .AI extension. Per their website, Zoom.ai provides “an automated assistant that handles your admin tasks like scheduling meetings and finding information” which seems like it would come in handy for business professionals looking to stay on top of things. Integrate.ai is a platform that helps companies with revenue growth and customer acquisition through the use of data and machine learning.
AI is expected to be a transformative influence across countless industries in the years and decades to come. Think personal assistants, home automation, self-driving cars, further automation of manufacturing, and more.
Cannabis Related Domain Names
More and more states in the US are legalizing marijuana and we’re seeing this reflected in the increased demand in cannabis, weed, and CBD (cannabidiol) related domain names. Recreational cannabis was legalized in October 2018 in Canada, and while there are still some kinks to work out, this has caused a surge in companies wanting to get in on the action. With talks of cannabis-infused foods and beverages, as well as the medical potential of CBD in anti-inflammation and pain relief, interest in related domain names is already paralleling this trend and may likely keep going as legalization continues across the US as well.
Sports Betting Related Domain Names
Sports betting has come to the forefront since 2018 when a US Supreme Court decision overturned a federal law that prohibits gambling on football, basketball, and other sports in most states. This cleared the way for individual states to regulate gambling within their borders.
With such a potentially large market, this is likely to make waves in the domaining industry as companies sprout up to provide products and services catering to sports and gambling fans.
Those who are interested can check out ESPN’s sports betting tracker for the latest scoop: http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/19740480/gambling-sports-betting-bill-tracker-all-50-states
Virtual and Augmented Reality Related Names
VR and AR are all the rage with new technology in these fields popping up in the news seemingly every day. Oculus Rift and Pokémon Go gave the mainstream audience an idea of where this type of technology could go. However, we’re now just starting to see potential applications of VR and AR in healthcare, public safety, and marketing. These technologies are believed by experts to have the potential to provide high-tech solutions and life-changing experiences for users. EchoPixel is just one example of how AR is revolutionizing medicine by providing physicians the tools to view and interact with patient tissues and organs in 3D form, thus leading to increased clinical knowledge and better care.
It will be interesting to see the evolution of these applications in the next few years, and the resulting impact in domain name demand.
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