As the TAMS application submission deadline approaches, many applicants are putting the final touches on their bids, while others are still gathering intelligence in an effort to avoid direct competition. A few observations come to mind:
- Applicants increasingly rely on external tools and market intelligence services to assess whether others may be pursuing the same string.
- The first application round in 2012 attracted 1,930 new gTLD applications. My expectation is that the 2026 round will exceed that number, including a significant volume of .BRAND applications.
- Identity Digital, the largest new gTLD applicant, operates 270 new gTLDs and manages a portfolio of 470 TLDs. Following its funding announcement in December 2025, it would not be surprising to see the company expand its ambitions in the upcoming round.
- GoDaddy is another player that could increase its application activity.
- Unstoppable Domains kept announcing lots of strings too.
- SuperNova200 has publicly stated its intention to submit 200 applications.
- Internet.best announced a list of 10 strings.
- Anyone using AI to generate lists of promising strings should remember that they are unlikely to be the only ones taking that approach. If an idea seems obvious to an AI, it is probably obvious to many other applicants as well.
- As in the 2012 round, new entrants with substantial financial resources could emerge and compete aggressively for attractive strings.
The bottom line: AI can be a valuable tool for brainstorming and research, but it may not be the best companion when it comes to identifying truly unique and uncontested strings. In a crowded and increasingly sophisticated market, originality, market insight, and strategic thinking may prove far more valuable than AI-generated suggestions alone.
