G42, Abu Dhabi’s leading AI and cloud computing firm, has announced that the initial 200 megawatts (MW) of its ambitious 5-gigawatt Stargate UAE AI campus are on track to become operational by 2026. This milestone marks a significant step in the UAE’s strategy to position itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The Stargate UAE project is a collaborative effort involving major global technology companies, including OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, Cisco, and SoftBank. The first phase of the project, a 1-gigawatt compute cluster, is being developed by G42 and operated by OpenAI and Oracle. NVIDIA is supplying its latest Grace Blackwell GB300 systems, while Cisco provides zero-trust security and AI-ready connectivity solutions. SoftBank Group is also contributing to the initiative.
The AI campus is designed to be powered by a mix of nuclear, solar, and natural gas energy sources, aligning with the UAE’s commitment to sustainable development and reducing carbon emissions.
The project is part of the broader UAE–U.S. AI Campus initiative, announced during a high-profile visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Abu Dhabi in May 2025. The partnership aims to deepen cooperation between the two nations in the field of artificial intelligence. However, discussions regarding the remaining 4.8 gigawatts of capacity are ongoing, with security concerns due to G42’s prior ties to China causing delays in finalizing the deal. These concerns have raised scrutiny in Washington, where technology exports to the region would require government approval.
The successful deployment of the first 200 MW in 2026 will lay the foundation for the full 5-gigawatt capacity, positioning Stargate UAE as one of the largest AI infrastructure projects globally. This development underscores the UAE’s ambition to be at the forefront of AI innovation and to serve as a strategic hub connecting the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
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