OpenAI is exploring plans to establish a large-scale data center capacity in the United Arab Emirates, in a move that could significantly expand the company’s footprint in the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter.
اضافة اعلان
Although the deal hasn’t been finalized and may still evolve, an announcement is expected later this week, coinciding with former U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the region. Trump is scheduled to arrive in the UAE on Thursday.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is also currently in the region as part of a broader tour involving key global tech leaders. OpenAI has declined to comment on the matter.
Boosting Global AI Infrastructure
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has recently stated its intention to partner with national governments to expand AI infrastructure beyond U.S. borders, aiming to reinforce American leadership in the field.
This potential UAE deal follows a series of tech investment moves aligned with Trump’s visit, which also includes Saudi Arabia gaining greater access to advanced semiconductor technologies.
UAE’s Strategic Ties with OpenAI
OpenAI has maintained a long-term strategic partnership with the UAE, starting with a 2023 collaboration with Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42. In 2024, Microsoft — OpenAI’s key backer — invested $1.5 billion into G42.
Additionally, MGX, an investment arm linked to a member of the UAE’s royal family, participated in OpenAI’s $6.6 billion funding round last October.
MGX is also expected to contribute to a $100 billion joint project with OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to build advanced AI infrastructure within the U.S.
The Role of Nvidia Chips
Details about the data center’s capacity remain unclear. Execution of the project hinges heavily on OpenAI’s ability to import high-performance chips from Nvidia — vital for training and running large AI models.
Since 2023, U.S. export restrictions have limited the shipment of such chips to several countries, including the UAE. However, Trump’s administration is reportedly nearing an agreement that would ease access to this critical technology, Bloomberg News reports.
A Potential Breakthrough in Chip Export Policy
According to Bloomberg, the proposed agreement could allow the UAE to import over one million advanced Nvidia chips, most of which would be allocated to U.S. companies operating data centers on UAE soil.
Compared to Biden’s administration, Trump’s team appears more willing to approve semiconductor exports to the Middle East, especially amid substantial Gulf investments in U.S. tech and infrastructure sectors.
Still, questions remain about safeguarding technologies from reaching China, which is under tighter U.S. restrictions.
The Trump administration has also signaled its intent to repeal the Biden-era regulatory framework aimed at addressing national security concerns, and is now working on new global rules to govern semiconductor exports.
This initiative marks a potentially transformative chapter in both OpenAI’s global expansion and U.S.–Middle East tech relations, especially if the UAE becomes a new hub for advanced AI infrastructure powered by American innovation.
