UAE launches massive AI data center project with backing from Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle, and Cisco – linking new 5GW campus to Trump’s US Stargate initiative in a global tech alliance.
In sum – what to know:
- UAE AI hub – Nvidia, Cisco, Oracle, and OpenAI are supporting a major AI data center project in Abu Dhabi, led by Emirati tech firm G42.
- Blackwell-based – Nvidia will provide Blackwell GB300 systems for the first phase, a 1-gigawatt compute cluster to develop into 5-gigawatt campus.
- US linkage – the UAE project aligns with the US-based Stargate infrastructure plan, announced earlier this year by President Trump.
US tech giants Nvidia, Cisco, Oracle, and OpenAI are backing the new ‘UAE Stargate’ artificial intelligence (AI) data center project, according to reports. Nvidia is to provide its latest Blackwell GB300 systems for the project. The setup is projected to align with the parallel US Stargate initiative, a domestic AI infrastructure project introduced by US President Donald Trump following his inauguration in January.
Oracle is also participating in the UAE Stargate initiative. Its co-founder, Larry Ellison, was present at the US Stargate launch earlier this year. Located in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, UAE Stargate will be developed by Emirati tech firm G42, as confirmed by the US Commerce Department, which disclosed the project. The data center campus will cover 10 square miles and have a total capacity of 5 gigawatts.
Trump recently visited the UAE as part of his first official overseas trip during his second term, which also included a stop in Saudi Arabia. Tech executives including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Cisco President Jeetu Patel were also present during the visit. The first phase of the UAE Stargate project includes the construction of a 1-gigawatt compute cluster.
The Stargate initiative has an estimated long-term cost of $500 billion; $100 billion has already been earmarked for its early phases. At its core, the Stargate scheme plans to build a network ofAI data centers across the US. The initiative aims to provide sufficient capacity to meet growing demand for AI across sectors including scientific research, healthcare, automation, defense, and finance.
The project could become the largest AI infrastructure buildout to date, spanning multiple locations and phases. It is being led by OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, in partnership with SoftBank and Oracle. OpenAI is contributing AI models and technical leadership, while SoftBank is providing funding and strategic support. Oracle is a key infrastructure partner. It will provide cloud computing expertise and manage large parts of the backend architecture required to run AI workloads at scale.
These companies form the core of the project, but additional partners are expected to join over time – especially energy companies, construction firms and chipmakers. While the Stargate project is initially focused on the US, expansion to other regions is already under way. Europe, in particular, is viewed as a key strategic location due to its growing AI ecosystem, strong research institutions, and interest in digital sovereignty.
A report in the Financial Times says the UK is the leading candidate for Stargate’s international expansion. OpenAI recently announced the launch of ‘OpenAI for Countries’ as an initiative within the Stargate project. It has announced plans to offer formalized infrastructure partnerships with national governments, in coordination with the US administration, to help build local AI data center capacity.
The AI boom is putting enormous pressure on existing data infrastructure. Large AI models require thousands of GPUs (graphics processing units), advanced cooling systems and huge amounts of electricity — especially for training. Many existing data centers simply can’t keep up with the scale or energy demands of modern AI.
Stargate aims to solve this by creating purpose-built infrastructure from the ground up, designed specifically for AI workloads.
