The UAE's leading AI company, G42, is pressing ahead with the Stargate UAE data centre project — one of the most consequential AI infrastructure builds the region has ever seen — reinforcing the country's position as a fast-growing global hub for artificial intelligence.
Chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi's national security adviser and Deputy Ruler, G42 is scaling its AI infrastructure at a moment when demand for advanced computing is accelerating across every major industry.
Stargate UAE: Scale and Scope
The Stargate UAE project is one of the region's most significant AI infrastructure developments, and by any measure it is among the most ambitious in the world.
The campus — spanning roughly ten square miles south of Abu Dhabi — is designed to reach one gigawatt of total compute capacity, making it the largest AI data centre complex outside the United States. It sits within a broader UAE–US AI Campus planned to reach five gigawatts.
The first phase is a 200-megawatt compute cluster powered by NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GB300 systems. Construction is progressing on an accelerated timeline, with civil, structural, and architectural work well advanced and the first deliveries of critical mechanical systems already on site. The 200MW phase is targeted for delivery in 2026.
The facility is designed to support:
- Training advanced AI models at scale - Enterprise-level AI applications across sectors - Expanded cloud and sovereign data capabilities
Global Partners Behind the Project
Stargate UAE is not a solo effort. G42 is building and operating the campus alongside a coalition of global technology leaders: OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, SoftBank Group, and Cisco.
G42 CEO Peng Xiao framed the initiative in sweeping terms: "This is about building a bridge — rooted in trust and ambition — that helps bring the benefits of AI to economies, societies, and people around the world."
That partnership structure allows G42 to scale operations efficiently, deliver high-performance computing solutions, and attract the international investment and talent that the project demands.
UAE's Broader AI Vision
G42's continued investment reflects a broader national strategy. The UAE has positioned artificial intelligence at the centre of its long-term economic diversification plan, and infrastructure projects like Stargate UAE are the physical backbone of that ambition.
The project aligns directly with the country's push to lead in next-generation technologies — supporting smart city initiatives, advanced research and development, and business transformation across both public and private sectors.
The expansion also cements Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE as a destination for global tech investment at a time when sovereign AI capability has become a geopolitical priority.
Why the Stargate UAE Data Centre Matters
With the first phase of the G42 Stargate UAE AI data centre on track for 2026, the country is building the infrastructure it needs to compete at the frontier of artificial intelligence.
The focus remains clear: future-ready compute capacity that supports growth, attracts global partnerships, and drives the next phase of technological progress across the UAE and beyond.
