Latest new gTLD questions asked to an AI

Below it the list of questions related to the upcoming round of the ICANN new gTLD program that we have asked an Artificial Intelligence. Many returned very well-structured answers with very true contents. I noticed that the work returned by ICANN working groups for the next ICANN new gTLD round to take place in 2026 is present in most answers and pretty accurate.

List of questions asked:

1. What are the risks when submitting a new gTLD application to the ICANN?
2. What is Jovenet Consulting offering?
3. Can you list 10 ICANN new gTLD Consultants?
4. Who should I ask to create a new domain name extension: to an accredited Registrar or directly to a backend Registry provider?
5. Can you list 10 existing backend registry providers to use for the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
6. How much does it cost to contest a new gTLD application in the 2026 ICANN new gTLD program?
7. What happens if two applicants apply for the same string in the next round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
8. Does the $25,000 ICANN annual fee remains for dotBrand applicants in the 2026 round of New gTLDs?
9. Are there extensions prohibited from being registered in the ICANN new gTLD program?
10. How much does it cost to create a new domain name extension?
11. Why should Trademarks consider applying for a dotBrand new generic Top-Level Domain?
12. New gTLDs: what is a mandatory backend registry provider?
13. How is the INTA important in the ICANN new gTLD program?
14. Will there be a .SEO new gTLD application submitted in the 2026 ICANN new gTLD round?
15. List five mandatory backend registry providers for the ICANN new gTLD program
16. What is the ICANN ASP program?
17. Where are listed the existing new generic Top-Level Domains from the previous round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
18. Which budget to create a new generic Top-Level Domain with the ICANN?
19. How many questions are there to submit a new gTLD application to the ICANN?
20. How long does it take the ICANN to validate a new gTLD application?
21. How old must a Trademark be to be submitted as a dotBrand type of application in the 2026 round of the ICANN new gTLD program?
22. What is the Trademark Clearinghouse in the ICANN new gTLD program?
23. What is a new gTLD backend registry provider?
24. How many domain names the owner of a new Registry should sell to be profitable?
25. What is a new generic Top-Level Domain?
26. What is a second level domain?
27. What is a ccTLD?
28. What is a domain name?

You can find all answers by checking The gTLD Blog. We question the AI frequently.

Those domains you don't know what to do with

You probably own domain names that have been in your portfolio forever and you've never found a use for them. Well, I have.

Just a tip

I am referring to these domain names waiting in your portfolio : these you always wanted to keep because they are your family name, your Trademark of that fantastic generic keyword that you have had for years and never found the time to build something around it.

Here is what I did

I use OVH as my Registrar where a small hosting space is offered with each domain name purchased. A free SSL certificate is part of that hosting (both need need to be activated). The thing I added to this "tip" is Artificial Intelligence. 

I went to these few domains names I own and, as an example, I will use one with my family name for my demo: guillon.eu.

I did this:

1. I went to my domain name at OVH and activated the hosting,
2. I got an email from OVH confirming activation with FTP hosting and password,
3. It caused a mess with my previous redirection so I re-initiated my zone file and pointed it to the right hosting at OVH. I waited and it worked (you don't need to do that if you never touched your domain name),
4. I went to Gemini (the AI from Google) and provided info about me and Jovenet Consulting : the idea was to create a single HTML page with written content to point on other websites of mine : for traffic I guess. Not to forget: I gave sources of info (URLs) for the AI to investigate and gather content.
5. Gemini created a single HTML file to which it included its written content (not mine).
6. I re-read and modified a few things. The content written by the AI was 90% excellent.
7. I downloaded the index.html file on my computer.
8. I transferred the file using a FTP tool to my hosting at OVH.
9. Website was live. I had the same approach with other domain names.

With more time, I will ask the AI to rewrite some texts because I pasted the same texts behind other domains I own (not a good idea to optimize indexation in search engines).

I use this a method a lot on www.gtld.blog : new gTLD lovers should have a look.

Public Comment Upcoming Proceedings

Next Round Base gTLD Registry Agreement : estimated time frame is June 2025.

Extracted from source: "As part of the New gTLD Program: Next Round, ICANN is preparing the Next Round Base gTLD Registry Agreement (Next Round RA). Approved applicants will be expected to execute the Next Round RA in order to become a registry operator and operate a gTLD. ICANN is opening its first Public Comment proceeding on the draft Next Round RA and encourages early engagement from the community".

Learn more.

How old should your Trademark be for Round2 ?

It is a question we've asked the AI :

How old must a Trademark be to be submitted as a dotBrand type of application in the 2026 round of the ICANN new gTLD program?

Read its answer.

Joke of the day

This is what is being sold on Sedo at the moment 😂

New gTLDs : did you ask the AI ?

Something very unattractive about the ICANN new gTLD program is that you have to search for common basic questions like: "how do I proceed to create my domain name extension?", "who do I talk to?", "how much doe it cost?", etc.

You will notice that absolutely no service provider will show any price on their website.

There are several reasons for this : an easy one is: "the ICANN new gTLD applicant guidebook has not yet been published, so we can't give you a price".

With my experience learnt from the first Round of the ICANN new gTLD program in 2012 a price is difficult to produce because no one can tell what is going to happen.

Once applications were submitted in 2012, I also read invoices increased by ten times compared to what some other applicants had paid ! Some projects could absolutely not be profitable for this reason and some filed.

Today, the AI starts to offer good answers about what one must do or pay. Legal and Financial questions are important too and the AI starts to be a very good tool to help in the application process. We answer many of these questions on www.gtld.blog, the AI will answer - and publish - your answers too if you want to send them to us.

3 applications submitted

Three applications were submitted for the new gTLD Applicant Support Program (ASP). Twenty one were sent but only three are in review: "Applications submitted and in review refers to applications that have submitted application information for evaluation" (updated: 21 April 2025.

Reminder:

The ASP is intended to make the New Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLD) Program: Next Round application and evaluation processes and fees more accessible to entities that would like to operate a registry but would otherwise be unable to apply, because of financial and resource constraints.

Learn more.

Numbers : new gTLDs are doing good !

The DNIB Quarterly Report Q1 2025

Extracted from the Verisign report : "Total new generic TLD (ngTLD) domain name registrations were 37.8 million at the end of the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 1.0 million domain name registrations, or 2.6%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. ngTLDs increased by 4.5 million domain name registrations, or 13.5%, year over year. The most recent combined renewal percentage estimate for ngTLDs was 34.2%."

Read the full report.