OpenAI is preparing a 5-gigawatt data center campus in Abu Dhabi. This project could be the biggest AI infrastructure project in the world. Collaboration this deep is somewhat rare, and this ambitious initiative is just one part of the much larger Stargate project. This means deep and ongoing strategic partnerships with SoftBank and Oracle. The data center will take up an area larger than 10 square miles. It will further establish itself as a key anchor tenant for OpenAI in the state.
This announcement marks another significant step in OpenAI’s war-time partnership with the United Arab Emirates. The collaboration first formed as an exploratory relationship in 2023 with Abu Dhabi-based G42, deepened and expanded. This partnership is designed to help catalyze AI adoption throughout the Middle East. During a talk in Abu Dhabi last year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the UAE’s forward-thinking approach to technology and innovation, stating that the country “has been talking about AI [since before it was cool].”
The proposed data center campus will use as much electricity as five nuclear power plants. This enormous energy appetite underscores the magnitude and the demands of cutting-edge AI technology. This initiative is a first step to furthering OpenAI’s goal of broadening its global footprint while furthering regional developments in AI.
Her partnership with G42 has been raising alarms among U.S. lawmakers. They have expressed concern over G42’s connections to blacklisted companies such as Huawei and the Beijing Genomics Institute. In addition, G42 has connections to people tied to China’s intelligence operations. In response to these concerns, G42’s CEO stated, “All of our China investments that were previously made are already divested. As a result, obviously, we have no longer any requirement down the road for any kind of physical China footprint. The firm, which was founded in 2018 and is chaired by UAE national security advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is undergoing a tactical pivot. It’s making a play to try to get away from those groups.
Despite the scrutiny, the collaboration represents a significant investment in AI infrastructure in the region and reflects a growing trend of international tech partnerships in the Middle East. Global demand for AI capabilities is increasing exponentially. This historic project would ignite even further cutting-edge tech innovations in the UAE.
