Domain attestation means proving control of a domain name associated with a business identity record. On AI Verified, that proof is the technical gate between a Bronze public identity and Silver website connection, where the operator demonstrates that the listed website is under their control.
Attestation answers a narrow question: does this operator control this domain? It does not answer workmanship quality, creditworthiness, or generative ranking.
Why domain control matters
Anyone can type a URL into a form. Spammers can claim websites they do not own. Buyers, partners, and machines need a stronger signal than self-assertion. Challenge-response methods (DNS TXT records, meta tags on the homepage) are standard ways to prove control without handing over DNS provider passwords to a third party.
How tiers map on AI Verified
- Bronze / Type A public record — selective eligibility based on public evidence; domain may still be unattested
- Elevated tiers — the website connection is Silver and free. Gold is the optional $297/year fuller identity and does not itself verify the domain
See pricing, Type A classification, owner claim vs public record.
Common methods
- DNS TXT — publish a token at the domain’s DNS
- Meta tag — publish a token in the site’s homepage HTML
Both prove the ability to change authoritative surfaces of the domain or site. Propagation delay is normal for DNS.
What attestation is not
- Not SSL/TLS (encryption in transit)
- Not a government licence
- Not a review score
- Not a guarantee that AI systems will recommend you
After attestation: distribution
Gold owners can publish the badge and profile URL across site, press, backlinks, social, and email so crawlers repeatedly meet the same sealed facts. How to use your Gold record.