OpenAI has taken a significant step toward global AI infrastructure expansion with the announcement of its first international deployment outside the United States. The company's ambitious Stargate project, which aims to build massive AI computing capacity worldwide, is now extending to the United Arab Emirates in what marks a new chapter in global AI development partnerships.
Stargate UAE Announcement
OpenAI has officially unveiled Stargate UAE, the first international deployment of its AI infrastructure platform. The project will establish a massive 1-gigawatt compute cluster in Abu Dhabi, with an initial 200 megawatts expected to be operational by 2026. This expansion represents OpenAI's vision for building frontier-scale compute capacity globally to support the development of safe and beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI). The announcement comes shortly after President Trump's visit to the UAE last week, during which related agreements were signed.
Stargate UAE Project Details:
- Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Capacity: 1GW compute cluster (initial phase)
- Timeline: 200MW online by 2026
- Site size: Approximately 10 square miles
- Energy sources: Nuclear, solar, and natural gas
Strategic Partnerships
The UAE deployment brings together an impressive consortium of technology leaders. OpenAI has formed partnerships with G42 (a UAE-based AI company), Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank to realize this ambitious project. Notably absent from the UAE project's partner list is Microsoft, which is involved in the U.S. Stargate initiative. The collaboration was celebrated with a photo opportunity in Abu Dhabi featuring prominent tech leaders including OpenAI's Sam Altman, Oracle's Larry Ellison, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Cisco's Chuck Robbins alongside their UAE partners.
Key Partners:
- OpenAI
- G42 (UAE-based)
- Oracle
- Nvidia
- Cisco
- SoftBank
Government Coordination and National Security
OpenAI emphasized that coordination with the U.S. government was crucial in making this expansion possible. The company framed the initiative as part of OpenAI for Countries, a global program designed to help governments build sovereign AI capabilities in coordination with the U.S. government. According to OpenAI, this approach is rooted in democratic values, open markets, and trusted partnerships. Sam Altman specifically noted that the project would provide strategic capability to protect the national security of America and its allies.
Scale and Investment
The UAE facility will be substantial, covering approximately 10 square miles in Abu Dhabi. While no specific price tag has been attached to the UAE campus, it forms part of a larger AI campus that will eventually reach a 5-gigawatt capacity, making it the largest AI infrastructure development outside the United States. This follows January's announcement of the U.S. Stargate project, which plans to invest $500 billion over four years to build 20 large data centers, potentially creating around 100,000 jobs. Of that investment, $100 billion is reportedly already available for immediate use.
Stargate Global Initiative:
- US investment: $500 billion planned over 4 years
- US immediate funding: $100 billion available
- US planned data centers: 20 large facilities
- US projected jobs: Approximately 100,000
Energy and Environmental Considerations
According to the announcement, the UAE facility will implement a diverse energy strategy to power its massive computing needs. The campus will utilize a combination of nuclear, solar, and natural gas energy sources to minimize carbon emissions, addressing one of the significant concerns about large-scale AI infrastructure development—its environmental impact.
Access and Applications
As part of this partnership, the UAE will become the first country in the world to enable nationwide ChatGPT access. OpenAI indicated that its tools will support the UAE across multiple sectors, including government services, energy, healthcare, education, and transportation, with the goal of accelerating innovation throughout the region.
Security Considerations
The partnership has not been without controversy. Reports indicate that during the final days of the Biden administration, officials considered denying the UAE access to advanced American chips due to the country's close ties with China. Particular concern centered around G42, a key Stargate partner that was reportedly considered a security threat by the CIA in 2023. However, the Trump administration has taken a different approach, with the recent deal potentially providing the UAE access to as many as 500,000 advanced Nvidia chips.
Future Expansion
OpenAI indicated that the UAE deployment is just the beginning of its international infrastructure strategy. The company stated it has engaged with other countries interested in building their own Stargate facilities, suggesting this could be the first of many similar international partnerships as OpenAI works to establish a global network of AI computing centers.