UAE begins construction on world's largest AI campus as chip shipments arrive
The United Arab Emirates is building a 5-gigawatt AI computing campus in Abu Dhabi, with the first 200 megawatts expected online soon, UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba announced Saturday at the SCSP AI+ Expo.
The first shipment of advanced AI chips has already arrived in the country, with additional deliveries scheduled. Construction is underway on what will become the largest AI infrastructure project globally.
Scale and reach
The campus is designed to serve roughly half the world's population, positioning the UAE as a computing hub between advanced technology and emerging markets. The project emerged from a US-UAE partnership first announced during a previous visit by President Donald Trump.
"This will be a model for how to deploy US technology responsibly and bring AI to the markets that need it most," Al Otaiba said.
Financial commitment
The UAE has invested $1 trillion in US technology, energy, and manufacturing to date. The country has committed an additional $1.4 trillion over the next decade, with more than 30 deals signed in the past year alone.
Al Otaiba described the partnership as "one of the most consequential economic partnerships of this decade."
Infrastructure and security
The UAE is establishing new regulatory frameworks covering AI, critical minerals, and supply chains. The country plans to strengthen data centers, energy facilities, and logistics hubs against potential threats.
"We have learned how to build in a dangerous neighborhood," Al Otaiba said, referencing the UAE's regional experience. "We will harden what needs hardening and close the gaps that were exposed."
Long-term planning
The UAE appointed the world's first AI minister in 2017 and established Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence. These moves reflected years of deliberate investment before the current acceleration.
"None of this happened overnight. The UAE has been building toward this moment for more than a decade," Al Otaiba said.
For professionals in AI for Real Estate & Construction and AI for Operations, this project demonstrates how large-scale infrastructure deployment requires both technical capability and operational planning across data centers, energy systems, and supply chains.
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