UAE And US Presidents Unveil New 5GW AI Campus In Abu Dhabi To Enhance Global AI Collaboration
The UAE has taken a significant step in artificial intelligence by unveiling a new AI campus in Abu Dhabi. This facility, the largest of its kind outside the US, was inaugurated at Qasr Al Watan with President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump present. The campus aims to serve as a hub for US hyperscalers and large enterprises, offering regional compute resources to support the Global South.
Once operational, the AI campus will utilise 5GW of capacity for data centres in Abu Dhabi. It will provide a platform for US hyperscalers to deliver latency-friendly services to nearly half of the world's population. The facility will be powered by nuclear, solar, and gas energy sources to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, it will include a science park focused on advancing AI innovation.
The project is being developed by G42 in collaboration with several US companies. This initiative is part of the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, which aims to enhance cooperation on AI and advanced technologies between the two nations. The UAE and US will jointly regulate access to compute resources, ensuring they are available to US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers.
H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), stated, "Today’s unveiling of this campus is a testament to the ongoing collaboration between our countries in artificial intelligence. It is an expression of the UAE’s commitment to pioneering innovation and fostering global collaboration in artificial intelligence, strengthening the UAE’s position as a hub for cutting-edge research and sustainable development, delivering transformative benefits for humanity."
US Secretary of Commerce Howard W Lutnick highlighted the significance of this partnership: "The announcement of the campus launches a historic Middle Eastern partnership on AI between our two nations. It promotes major investment in advanced semiconductors and data centres across the US and the UAE. In the UAE, American companies will operate the data centres and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region. By extending the world’s leading American tech stack to an important strategic partner in the region, this agreement is a major milestone in achieving President Trump’s vision for US AI dominance."
The UAE has been at the forefront of promoting AI adoption across various sectors. In 2017, it became the first nation to appoint a federal Minister of Artificial Intelligence. Two years later, it established Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. The country also launched its national AI strategy in 2017, aiming to integrate transformative AI solutions into key areas like education, healthcare, transportation, and energy.
This ambitious roadmap underscores the UAE's commitment to becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence. By prioritising AI integration across critical sectors, it seeks to cement its role as an innovator in this rapidly evolving field.
With inputs from WAM
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