UAE to build largest AI campus outside the US; what we know so far

The UAE and the US have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the United States.

The new 5GW UAE-US AI campus was unveiled during US President Donald Trump's ongoing state visit to the UAE, which comes as part of a three-country tour that took him to Saudi and Qatar.

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It is set to be established in Abu Dhabi and will be home to American companies capable of providing regional computing services, with the potential to serve countries of the Global South.

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The 10 square mile (25.9 square kilometre) AI campus in Abu Dhabi will have 5 gigawatts of power capacity for AI data centres, the US Commerce Department said.

The campus will be built by Abu Dhabi state-backed firm G42, but US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said in a release that "American companies will operate the data centres and offer American-managed cloud services throughout the region."

To minimise its carbon footprint, the campus, once completed, will use nuclear, solar, and gas power will also house a science park driving advancements in AI innovation.

Unveiling the new facility comes after announcing of the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership—a new framework by the two countries’ governments to deepen cooperation and collaboration on AI and advanced technologies.

Historic AI partnership

The campus is a testament to the ongoing collaboration between the UAE and the US in artificial intelligence, said Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC).

"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," he 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 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," said Lutnick.

"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,” he added.

A pioneer in AI adoption

The UAE has been a pioneer in encouraging AI adoption in commercial and governmental activities. In 2017 it became the first country to appoint a federal Minister of Artificial Intelligence, and in 2019 established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.

The country was also one of the first to launch a national AI strategy in 2017 –the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence– and is on track to become a global AI hub. This ambitious roadmap prioritises transformative AI integration across critical sectors, including education, healthcare, transportation, and energy, cementing the UAE’s role as a pioneer in the global AI landscape.

Earlier this month, the UAE announced that it will introduce 'Artificial Intelligence' as a subject in public schools from the next academic year. This subject will be available from kindergarten to Grade 12, across all stages of government education.

(With inputs from Reuters)