Apple buys iWork.ai domain amid Big Tech AI race - 4 minutes read
Apple has bought a new domain called “iWork.ai,” suggesting that it could highlight AI features in its applications suite. While the tech giant owns hundreds of domains, it refers to the suite of work tools, which competes with Microsoft Office, as iWork.
The productivity suite includes Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, which allows users to create word-processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. In 2009, Apple introduced iWork ‘09, alongside iWork.com, but the site has been inactive for some time.
Although iWork.ai is not currently active, BuyAIdomains.com found that Apple had purchased the URL.
https://t.co/GQz0FM3dBW was recently in the .ai registry auction this past week. It did not get any bids. As of 2_8_24, https://t.co/G2bAqTsn0Y has registered the domain. I know this because it was on my list of potentials that received no bids and now I see it taken.…
— Tweeted.com () February 10, 2024
ReadWrite performed a quick search on WHOIS, which confirmed that Apple Inc., Cupertino, was the new owner of the domain.
🚨🚨🚨BREAKING NEWS: has entered the .Ai domain game
Thanks to , we found PROOF that Apple has bought https://t.co/m2bKg7brTd 😳
See below ⬇️ #DotAi🇦🇮🚀🌴🔥 pic.twitter.com/B5Q495Rha8
— Namesayer #DotAi @ BuyAiDomains.com () February 10, 2024
The move could indicate that Apple is planning to rival Microsoft’s new AI-powered Office assistant, which has been leading in AI and business integrations. Copilot, for example, uses AI to provide real-time summarization and generates key points, names, and dates during calls and in chat messages.
Buying .ai domains can be seen as a strategic move in a bid to bolster its image. Microsoft’s acquisition of domains like Video.ai and Translate.ai showcases the increasing recognition of .Ai domains as crucial digital assets.
However, Apple also purchases domains with misspellings to prevent their acquisition by other companies. For instance, “Zpple.com” redirects to apple.com. As the 64th-oldest domain name in existence, having registered apple.com in 1987, Apple has also acquired seemingly unrelated domains. These include me.com, carbon.com, and even texture.com.
Apple to showcase new AI tech at WWDC
Reports suggest that the company has been experimenting with its “Ajax” large language model since early 2023, bringing the integration of auto-completion and auto-summarizing functionalities into its main applications and productivity tools, such as Pages and Keynote. It is expected that Apple will embrace AI extensively at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, particularly within its operating systems, notably iOS.
While details are few and far between, Apple has been reportedly developing its own AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT.
Featured image: Canva
Freelance journalist
Suswati Basu is a multilingual, award-winning editor and the founder of the intersectional literature channel, How To Be Books. She was shortlisted for the Guardian Mary Stott Prize and longlisted for the Guardian International Development Journalism Award.
With 18 years of experience in the media industry, Suswati has held significant roles such as head of audience and deputy editor for NationalWorld news, digital editor for Channel 4 News
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Her career also includes a seven-year tenure at the leading AI company Dataminr, where she led the Europe desk and launched the company's first employee resource group for disabilities. Before this, Suswati worked as a journalist in China for four years, investigating censorship and the Great Firewall, and acquired proficiency in several languages.
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Source: ReadWrite
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