Microsoft announced a total investment of $15.2 billion in the UAE from 2023 to 2029, with most of the funding allocated to its ambitious plan to expand AI-powered data centers across the country.
Such an investment may have a strategic rationale because the UAE is rapidly developing into one of the world leaders when it comes to artificial intelligence and infrastructure based on the cloud.
The company has obtained U.S. government export licenses to supply advanced Nvidia GPUs, including chips known as the GB300, to its data centers, thanks to an enhanced technology safeguard agreement approved under the Trump administration.
The chips are to be deployed over the coming months, and will be utilized exclusively within Microsoft’s own facilities, according to Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith.
Microsoft’s new investment also includes $7.3 billion in the region through 2024, with an additional $7.9 billion planned through 2029 to expand AI and cloud capacity.
G42, Abu Dhabi’s prominent AI firm, has faced scrutiny from Washington due to historic ties to China, but Smith says it has made significant progress in complying with U.S. regulations.
None of the newly announced investment will fund Stargate UAE, a separate large-scale data center project announced earlier this year.
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