Abu Dhabi [UAE], May 16 : A new UAE-US AI Campus with a capacity of 5GW was inaugurated on Thursday at Qasr Al Watan, attended by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and US President Donald Trump, who is visiting the UAE, as reported by Gulf News.
This AI campus, the largest outside the United States, will accommodate US hyperscalers and major enterprises, allowing them to utilise regional computing resources aimed at serving the Global South.
The UAE-US AI Campus is planned to have 5GW capacity for AI data centres in Abu Dhabi, providing a regional platform through which US hyperscalers can deliver low-latency services to almost half of the global population, according to Gulf News.
Once completed, the facility will harness nuclear, solar, and gas energy to reduce carbon emissions. It will also feature a science park dedicated to promoting advancements in artificial intelligence, highlighted Gulf News.
The campus will be constructed by G42 and operated in collaboration with several US firms. This initiative is part of the newly formed US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, a bilateral framework aimed at enhancing cooperation in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. The UAE and US will jointly oversee access to the computing resources, which will be allocated for US hyperscalers and approved cloud service providers, as cited by Gulf News.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), stated: "The launch of this campus today signifies the continuous cooperation between our nations in the field of artificial intelligence. It demonstrates the UAE's dedication to fostering innovation and nurturing global collaboration in AI, solidifying the nation's role as a hub for pioneering research and sustainable growth while delivering transformative benefits for humanity," as quoted by Gulf News.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard W Lutnick remarked: "The unveiling of the campus represents a historic Middle Eastern AI partnership between our two countries. It encourages significant investments in advanced semiconductors and data centres across both the US and the UAE.
In the UAE, American enterprises will run the data centres and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the area. By extending the leading American technology infrastructure to a key strategic ally, this agreement is a significant step toward achieving President Trump's vision for US AI supremacy," as mentioned in the Gulf News report.
As noted by Gulf News, the UAE has been a frontrunner in facilitating AI adoption within both the public and private sectors. In 2017, it became the first nation to designate a federal Minister of Artificial Intelligence, and in 2019, it established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
The country was also among the pioneers in launching a national AI strategy, named the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in 2017. This ambitious plan positions the UAE as a global AI centre by emphasising the integration of AI across vital sectors such as education, healthcare, transportation, and energy, which further strengthens the UAE's leadership in the international AI arena, according to Gulf News.