Deep in Queens, New York, out near John F. Kennedy Airport, Larry Fischer was distraught. One of his favorite Italian joints—Don Peppe, the place where he lunched with Facebook's lawyers after selling them Messenger.com in 2014—had closed for vacation this past week. It had seemed like a fitting place for our conversation about another domain name deal he's got in the works that he hopes can be even higher profile. "You don't know how bummed I am," he said.

Fischer, a 62-year-old Brooklyn native, steered us to another of his favorite nearby haunts on 153rd Avenue. As pasta alla genovese and a carafe of Montepulciano arrived, Fischer, one of the world's leading domain brokers, uncorked the details on his next blockbuster project: the sale of AI.com, which he thinks can fetch more than $100 million. (He will begin accepting offers this weekend.)

"If somebody is looking to sell a top-tier domain, I am the guy they call," said Fischer. "I have a reputation for being able to get the best price."