A Quantum Leap in AI: UAE Announces Alliances That Ignite the Region’s Digital Revolution

A GB200 Grace Blackwell superchip produced by NVIDIA

A Quantum Leap in AI: UAE Announces Alliances That Ignite the Region’s Digital Revolution

In a landmark move positioning the UAE as a rising powerhouse in artificial intelligence, U.S. tech giant NVIDIA has announced a strategic partnership with Khazna, the data center operator majority-owned by UAE-based AI leader G42.

According to Bloomberg, this partnership will focus on deploying NVIDIA’s powerful Blackwell chips to build next-generation AI data centers across the Middle East — reinforcing the region's emergence as a new hub for AI innovation.

This move comes as Gulf countries, led by the UAE, ramp up efforts to solidify their presence in the global AI landscape and transform their digital infrastructure into internationally competitive platforms.

The planned facilities will be part of larger AI clusters, with up to 250 megawatts of compute power — a vital resource for training large-scale machine learning models and powering advanced AI applications.

NVIDIA has adopted Khazna’s data center design, ensuring compatibility with the high-performance Blackwell architecture.

This development aligns with G42’s global expansion strategy for AI infrastructure. Under the leadership of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE’s National Security Adviser, G42 has been spearheading major initiatives — including its collaboration with OpenAI on the “Stargate” program, which aims to build a globally advanced ecosystem for developing and deploying AI technologies like ChatGPT.

These partnerships reinforce the UAE’s commitment to becoming a regional and global hub for AI, transforming it into a key link in the global AI supply chain, and aligning with the country's broader vision of economic diversification and digital transformation.

Furthering this vision, Khazna unveiled plans to contribute to a joint U.S.-UAE AI complex in Abu Dhabi with 5 gigawatts of capacity — expected to be among the largest AI infrastructure projects globally.

The company also aims to scale its footprint with up to 1 gigawatt of power across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe — paving the way for a fully integrated digital ecosystem that supports AI research, development, and deployment across sectors.

This expansion signals the UAE’s clear ambition to transcend regional boundaries and establish a robust, globally connected AI-driven digital economy.