If you type AI.com in your browser, you might be surprised to see where it takes you. Instead of landing on a website related to artificial intelligence, you will be redirected to a YouTube video by MKBHD, a popular tech reviewer and influencer. The video, titled “AI Generated Videos Just Changed Forever“, the video is about the new OpenAi Sora.
But how did this happen? Who owns AI.com and why did they choose MKBHD’s video as the destination? The answer is not so simple, as the domain has a history of changing hands and purposes.
A Brief History of AI.com
AI.com is one of the most coveted domain names in the world, as it represents the initials of artificial intelligence, one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields of technology. According to Domain Name Journal, AI.com was first registered in 1992 by a company called Applied Intelligence, which used it for its website until 2015.
On February 17th, 2023, AI.com was sold for a whopping $11 million to OpenAI, this is to secure the future of ChatGPT as the domain was later redirected to chat.openai.com for ease of access.
OpenAI used AI.com to showcase its projects and products, such as ChatGPT, a powerful natural language processing system that can generate realistic and coherent texts on any topic. ChatGPT was launched in late 2022 and quickly gained popularity and controversy.
According to a TechCrunch report, Elon Musk acquired AI.com from OpenAi for an undisclosed amount.
MKBHD, whose real name is Marques Brownlee, is one of the most influential tech reviewers and personalities on YouTube, with over 20 million subscribers. He is known for his high-quality and informative videos on various topics related to technology, such as smartphones, gadgets, cars, and AI.
On the February 19th, 2024, MKBHD posted on Threads, a social media by Meta.
Marques posted that he doesn’t own the domain AI.com but he thanks whoever did it.
Who is Behind the Redirection?
The redirection of AI.com to MKBHD’s video has sparked curiosity and speculation among the internet users and the media. Who is behind this change and what is their motive? Is it Musk, xAI, or someone else? Is it a marketing stunt, a prank, a hack, or a message?
So far, no one has claimed responsibility or provided an explanation for the redirection. Musk and xAI have not commented on the matter, nor have they changed the redirection back to X.ai. MKBHD has also not received any communication from the owner of AI.com or anyone else involved.
Some theories suggest that the redirection is a way of promoting MKBHD’s video and raising awareness about AI, as the video is informative and balanced. Some also think that it is a way of endorsing MKBHD’s views and opinions on AI, as he is seen as a credible and trustworthy source of information.
The mystery of AI.com remains unsolved, but it has certainly generated a lot of interest and discussion about AI and its impact on the world.
