ICANN Reveals 1,615 New gTLD Applications as Tech Giants Battle for AI-Related Domains

ICANN Opens Second Application Round Since 2012

ICANN has unveiled 1,615 new gTLD applications from 481 entities, marking a significant expansion in the domain name system.1

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This represents the first application window since 2012, when ICANN allowed over 1,200 new generic top-level domains to enter the market.1

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The governance body has made all applications searchable online and initiated a verification process to confirm their viability, with String Confirmation Day set for November 17.1

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Tech Companies Compete for AI-Related Domains

OpenAI leads the charge with 15 domain applications, including .chatgpt and .agi, the latter likely referring to artificial general intelligence.1

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Six other entities are also vying for .agi, setting up a competitive battle for this AI-related domain.1

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The company also applied for .mcp, probably referencing the open source Model Context Protocol, which Google and three other entities want as well.1

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Anthropic submitted applications for .anthropic and .claude, focusing on brand identity through custom domain endings.2

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Google and Meta Push for Multiple Domain Strings

Google, operating through its subsidiary Charleston Road Registry, applied for over 30 new names, most related to its products.1

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The tech giant faces an eight-way competition to secure .api and is among the contenders for .mcp and .agent.1

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Meta submitted applications for .superintelligence, facing one other contender, while claiming exclusive rights to .wearables.1

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Microsoft kept its ambitions focused, applying for just .copilot and .msft.1

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Fierce Competition for Popular Domain Strings

The .agent domain has emerged as one of the most contested strings, with 13 applicants including Meta and Google competing for control.1

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Nine entities are fighting over .brand, while ten applicants want to build their own .hub.1

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Seven operators hope to run .official, the type of domain that brands buy defensively to protect their identity before cynical parties claim the name.1

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Salesforce applied for its own name plus .force, .slack, and .tableau, demonstrating how tech companies view custom domains as tools to signal trust and tighten security.1

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Geographic Distribution and Brand-Related Applications

North America dominated the application landscape with 864 submissions, followed by Europe with 506.1

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Asia Pacific contributed 218 applications, while Africa and Latin America lagged with 16 and 11 respectively.1

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ICANN reports that 333 of the applications are brand-related, with the base application fee starting at approximately $227,000 before legal, technical, and operating costs.2

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This substantial investment explains why the list is packed with major corporations seeking to control their digital presence. Additionally, 21 internationalized domain name bids used non-Latin scripts, including Arabic and Chinese.2

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Resolution Process and Timeline for Domain Registration

When multiple parties apply for the same string, ICANN first applies a community priority evaluation process to identify the most appropriate operator.1

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If this fails, rights to the domain go to auctions, though contested strings can also face objections or private settlements.1

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All applications must be decided by November 17, after which successful applicants can begin establishing registries for their new domains.1

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Domain registration using these new strings will likely become available to readers next year, though ICANN's major phase begins in 2027 with first uncontested launches expected in late 2027 or early 2028.1

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