The UAE is hooked on AI. The latest developments are all part of a long-term strategy to position the country as a global leader in AI. The government believes this will enhance geopolitical influence, diversify the economy, and establish itself as a technological powerhouse.
“The UAE is well-positioned to achieve its vision to become one of the leading nations in AI by 2031, with strategic investments and policy frameworks accelerating its AI capabilities,” says Lisa Lyons, Regional Transformation Centre of Excellence Lead, Mercer IMEA.
In a push to become a global AI player, the country is leveraging its strong relations with the US to secure access to technology.
“President Trump’s visit was a significant milestone for the UAE. Not only did they forge projects, they also sent a powerful message about the UAE’s growing influence on the global tech stage,” says Josh Gilbert, Market Analyst at eToro.
The UAE and the US signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest AI campus outside the US. The 26-sq-km site in Abu Dhabi will eventually host 5 gigawatts of data centers. OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, and Cisco will help build the AI campus.
“The UAE is moving beyond ambition to action as its vision to become a global AI hub materializes,” says Jad Haddad, Global Head of Quotient – AI by Oliver Wyman. “The recent announcement of a 5GW data center project highlights the UAE’s commitment to lead AI innovation rather than merely follow.”
Oracle’s CTO and chairman, Larry Ellison, said 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.”
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, said the project in the UAE would “power the country’s bold vision, to empower its people, grow its economy, and shape its future.”
“Today, AI leadership is not about scale for the sake of scale. It is about making powerful tools useful, usable, and universal,” Faisal Al Bannai, Advanced Technology Research Council, secretary general, said in the statement.
In an interview with Reuters, Cerebras Systems CEO Andrew Feldman said, “They’re among the leaders today, and they’re on a path to the very top.”
While many may have reservations about the UAE’s pursuit of AI, what is crucial is that the UAE has both the financial resources to fund expensive AI research and a government committed to advancing its development.
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