The UAE Unveils The World’s Biggest AI Campus Outside The US

The UAE has unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) campus that is set to be the world’s largest outside the US.

The UAE-US AI Campus, which was launched in the presence of UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump during his visit to Abu Dhabi last week, is set to be home to US hyperscalers and large enterprises that can leverage the capacity for regional compute resources with the ability to serve the Global South.

The new campus, which will be built by Abu Dhabi-based G42, will include 5GW of capacity for AI data centers in the UAE capital, providing a regional platform from which US hyperscalers will be able to offer latency-friendly services to nearly half of the global population.

Once completed, the facility, which will be operated in partnership with several American companies, will also leverage nuclear, solar, and gas power to minimize carbon emissions, and it will also house a science park driving advancements in AI innovation.

The new endeavor builds on the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, a new framework by the two countries’ governments to deepen cooperation and collaboration on AI and advanced technologies.

In a statement, HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council, said, “Today’s unveiling of this campus is a testament to the ongoing collaboration between our countries in AI. It is an expression of the UAE’s commitment to pioneering innovation and fostering global collaboration in AI, 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 added, “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 centers across the US and the UAE. In the UAE, American companies will operate the data centers 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.”

G42, OpenAI, and Oracle Announce Stargate UAE 

Abu Dhabi-based technology group G42, US AI research company OpenAI, and US cloud services provider Oracle also announced a partnership to build Stargate UAE, a 1-GW AI computer cluster at the UAE–US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi. The initiative brings together several global technology companies, including US-based chipmaker NVIDIA, Japan’s investment group SoftBank Group, and the California-based networking giant Cisco, to support AI infrastructure development. 

Stargate UAE will be built by G42 and operated by OpenAI and Oracle. Cisco will provide zero-trust security and AI-ready connectivity, while NVIDIA will supply its Grace Blackwell GB300 systems. SoftBank Group will also take part in the collaboration. 

The first 200-MW phase of Stargate UAE is expected to go live in 2026. The facility aims to offer compute capacity and low-latency AI inferencing for use across sectors such as healthcare, finance, energy, and transportation. It is intended to support scientific research and AI-related development efforts. 

Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, said in a statement, “The launch of Stargate UAE is a significant step in the UAE–US AI partnership. As a founding partner, we’re proud to work alongside institutions that share our belief in responsible innovation and meaningful global progress. This initiative is about building a bridge—rooted in trust and ambition—that helps bring the benefits of AI to economies, societies, and people around the world.” 

Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, commented, “By establishing the world’s first Stargate outside of the US in the UAE, we’re transforming a bold vision into reality. This is the first major milestone in our OpenAI for Countries initiative—our effort to work with allies and partners to build AI infrastructure around the world. It’s a step toward ensuring some of this era’s most important breakthroughs—safer medicines, personalized learning, and modernized energy—can emerge from more places and benefit the world.” 

Larry Ellison, CTO and Chairman of Oracle, added, “Stargate pairs Oracle’s AI-optimized cloud with nation-scale sovereign infrastructure. This first-in-the-world platform will enable every UAE government agency and commercial institution to connect their data to the world’s most advanced AI models. This landmark deployment sets a new standard for digital sovereignty and demonstrates how nation states can harness the power of the most important technology in the history of humankind.” 

Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, said, “AI is the most transformative force of our time. With Stargate UAE, we are building the AI infrastructure to power the country’s bold vision—to empower its people, grow its economy, and shape its future.” 

Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, noted, “When we unveiled Stargate in the US with OpenAI and Oracle, we set out to build an engine for the next information revolution. Now, the UAE becomes the first nation beyond America to embrace this sovereign AI platform, proving the global nature of this vision. SoftBank is proud to support the UAE’s leap forward. Bold investments, trusted partnerships, and national ambition can create a more connected, more joyful, and more empowered world.” 

Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco, said, "Cisco is proud to join Stargate UAE to advance groundbreaking AI innovation in the UAE and around the world. By embedding our secure AI-optimized networking fabric for this international deployment, we're building smart, secure and energy-efficient networks that will turn intelligence into impact at global scale." 

The project follows the launch of the US–UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, a bilateral framework to promote cooperation on AI and advanced technologies. Under this framework, UAE entities will also expand investments in US-based digital infrastructure projects, including Stargate US, as part of the recently announced “America First Investment Policy.” 

Pictured in the image is US President Donald Trump with UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Image via the UAE Embassy in the US.