Abu Dhabi has unveiled a 5-gigawatt artificial intelligence campus, marking the largest AI data centre project outside the US. The initiative is a joint effort between the UAE and the US to enhance AI infrastructure and services across the Middle East and the Global South.
The announcement was made at Qasr Al Watan during a meeting between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump, who is on a state visit to the UAE. The project is part of the newly established US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, designed to deepen bilateral cooperation in advanced technologies.
The campus, spanning 10 square miles in Abu Dhabi, will be developed by Emirati AI firm G42 in collaboration with several US companies. It will provide 5GW of capacity for AI data centres, offering US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers a regional platform to deliver low-latency services to nearly half of the global population within a 3,200 km radius.
To ensure energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, the facility will utilise a mix of nuclear, solar, and gas power sources. Additionally, the campus will house a science park dedicated to advancing AI research and innovation.
Under the terms of the partnership, the UAE has committed to importing 500,000 of Nvidia’s advanced AI chips annually, starting in 2025. G42 will retain 20% of these chips for its own GPU cloud and data centre operations, with the remaining 80% allocated to US companies operating within the region.
The agreement includes stringent security measures to prevent the diversion of US technology, with both nations enhancing Know-Your-Customer protocols to regulate access to the compute resources. These resources will be reserved exclusively for US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers.
This development aligns with the UAE’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a global hub for artificial intelligence. The country has previously established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and launched a national AI strategy in 2017, focusing on integrating AI across various sectors, including education, healthcare, transportation, and energy.
The new AI campus is expected to play a significant role in meeting the growing demand for AI services in the region, providing critical infrastructure to support the development and deployment of advanced AI applications.
