Is Elon Musk the New Owner of ai.com? Ultraman Just Invested $10 Million, Now Flipping It After 4 Months

Elon Musk has acquired the domain ai.com, previously owned by OpenAI, which purchased it for tens of millions. Now, when users visit ai.com, they are redirected to Musk's new company, x.AI, with the page displaying the domain as "x.ai." This switch has sparked humorous comments online, with some users joking that the domain name was overlooked in the transition. Others are surprised, mentioning that just yesterday it led to ChatGPT. Observers are noting an emerging domain competition, with Musk now owning three significant top-level domains: ai.com, x.ai, and x.com.

OpenAI's purchase of ai.com was significant; founder Sam Altman invested $11 million in March to link the domain with ChatGPT. This acquisition ranks among the priciest in history. Previously, ai.com belonged to Future Media Architects but changed hands shortly after OpenAI's acquisition. Speculation about OpenAI's decision to sell ai.com hints at a potential decline in ChatGPT users. Research indicates that ChatGPT's growth rate fell sharply from 131.6% in January to just 2.8% by May, with traffic dropping around 38% by June 20.

Alternatively, some analysts suggest OpenAI is refocusing its branding strategy around "GPT." The company has been attempting to trademark "GPT" since March, although with limited success. Reports indicate that OpenAI is now working on trademarking GPT-5, awaiting review by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Musk is known for his bold purchases. For instance, in 2017, he spent at least $5 million to reclaim the domain x.com from PayPal. After his acquisition, he expressed excitement on Twitter, thanking PayPal for their cooperation. He also invested $11 million in procuring Tesla.com, sharing that it took him a decade to secure that domain.

While the prices for ai.com and Tesla.com are substantial, they’re not the most expensive ever paid for a domain. That distinction belongs to Block.one, which purchased Voice.com for $30 million in 2019. With his recent acquisitions, Musk has amassed three valuable domains: ai.com, x.ai, and x.com.

However, the attention has not all been favorable. Users have questioned the legitimacy of the ownership transfer of ai.com, noting that neither OpenAI nor Musk has officially confirmed possession. Earlier media reports lacked solid evidence, relying instead on the redirect to ChatGPT. The brokerage firm involved in the transaction was unaware of the buyer’s identity or the final sale price, only noting that the previously listed price was $11 million. Speculation arises that Musk might have acquired the domain before OpenAI or that the brokerage orchestrated a publicity stunt by redirecting it first to OpenAI, then to x.ai, thereby increasing its market value.

No official statements from either party have been issued, leaving the situation ambiguous. Given Musk's history of public disclosures, many anticipate a tweet confirming the acquisition in the near future if he was indeed the buyer.