In a historic step forward for Artificial Intelligence and international collaboration, G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, SoftBank Group and Cisco announced their partnership to build Stargate UAE. Stargate UAE is a next-generation AI infrastructure cluster that will run in the newly established 5-gigawatt UAE–US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi.
Stargate UAE, a 1-gigawatt compute cluster, will be built by G42 and operated by OpenAI and Oracle. The collaboration will also include Cisco, offering its Zero-Trust security and AI-ready connectivity, and SoftBank Group, as well as NVIDIA which will supply the latest NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GB300 systems. The facility will provide best-in-class infrastructure, nation-scale compute, and low latency inferencing to deliver AI that will meet the demands of an increasingly intelligent world. The first 200-megawatt AI cluster is expected to go live in 2026.
Stargate UAE creates a foundation for scalable, trusted AI. It will accelerate scientific discovery and drive innovation across industries ranging from healthcare and energy to finance and transportation, fuelling future economic growth and national development.
The UAE–US AI Campus which will house Stargate UAE was announced last week in Abu Dhabi in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America.
The endeavour builds on a new framework by the US and UAE governments, the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, to deepen cooperation and collaboration on AI and advanced technologies developing safe, secure, and responsible AI that delivers long-term benefits for humanity. Under this framework, UAE entities will also expand their investments in digital infrastructure in the US, in projects such as Stargate US, in line with the recently announced America First Investment Policy.
Spanning 10 square miles, the full UAE–US AI infrastructure campus is the largest such deployment outside of the US It will provide 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity and regional compute resources. The facility will be powered by nuclear, solar, and natural gas to minimise carbon emissions and it will also house a science park driving innovation, talent development, and sustainable compute infrastructure.
Cisco announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to join the Stargate UAE consortium as a preferred technology partner. The strategic MoU, signed by Cisco’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins with other consortium partners, G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank Group, envisions the construction of an AI data centre in Abu Dhabi with a target capacity of 1 GW, with an initial 200 MW capacity to be delivered in 2026.
As a partner in this initiative, Cisco will provide advanced networking, security and observability solutions to accelerate the deployment of next-generation AI compute clusters.
“With the right infrastructure in place, AI can transform data into insights that empower every organisation to innovate faster, tackle complex challenges, and deliver tangible outcomes,” said Chuck Robbins, Cisco Chair and CEO. “Cisco is proud to join this consortium to harness the power of AI and deliver the infrastructure that will enable tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”
Today’s announcement follows Robbins’ recent visit to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE where Cisco announced a series of strategic initiatives across all phases of the AI transformation in the region. These new initiatives employ Cisco’s trusted technology across the region’s AI infrastructure buildouts, leveraging the company’s deep expertise in networking and security together with longstanding regional partnerships.
By fostering the development of secure, AI-powered digital infrastructure and collaborating with key Cisco partners, the company is delivering world-class, trusted technology to the region.
Key takeaways
- Stargate UAE is an AI infrastructure cluster that will run in newly established 5-gigawatt UAE–US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi.
- The UAE–US AI Campus will house Stargate UAE.
- Stargate UAE, a 1-gigawatt compute cluster, will be built by G42 and operated by OpenAI and Oracle.
- Cisco will offer Zero-Trust security and AI-ready connectivity
- NVIDIA will supply the latest NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GB300 systems
- The facility will provide nation-scale compute and low latency inferencing.
- The first 200-megawatt AI cluster is expected to go live in 2026.
- Spanning 10 square miles, UAE–US AI infrastructure campus is largest such deployment outside of the US.
- The UAE–US AI Campus will provide 5 gigawatts of AI data centre capacity and regional compute resources.
- The facility will be powered by nuclear, solar, and natural gas to minimise carbon emissions.
- It will house a science park driving innovation, talent development, and sustainable compute infrastructure.
Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, said, “The launch of Stargate UAE is a significant step in the UAE–US AI partnership. As a founding partner, we’re proud to work alongside institutions that share our belief in responsible innovation and meaningful global progress. This initiative is about building a bridge – rooted in trust and ambition – that helps bring the benefits of AI to economies, societies, and people around the world.”
Sam Altman, Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, said, “By establishing the world’s first Stargate outside of the US in the UAE, we’re transforming a bold vision into reality. This is the first major milestone in our OpenAI for Countries initiative—our effort to work with allies and partners to build AI infrastructure around the world. It’s a step toward ensuring some of this era’s most important breakthroughs—safer medicines, personalised learning, and modernised energy—can emerge from more places and benefit the world.”
Larry Ellison, CTO and Chairman of Oracle, said, “Stargate pairs Oracle’s AI-optimised cloud with nation-scale sovereign infrastructure. This first-in- the-world platform will enable every UAE government agency and commercial institution to connect their data to the world’s most advanced AI models. This landmark deployment sets a new standard for digital sovereignty and demonstrates how nation states can harness the power of the most important technology in the history of humankind.”
Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA, said, “AI is the most transformative force of our time. With Stargate UAE, we are building the AI infrastructure to power the country’s bold vision – to empower its people, grow its economy, and shape its future.”
Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group, said, “When we unveiled Stargate in the US with OpenAI and Oracle, we set out to build an engine for the next information revolution. Now, the UAE becomes the first nation beyond America to embrace this sovereign AI platform, proving the global nature of this vision. SoftBank is proud to support the UAE’s leap forward. Bold investments, trusted partnerships, and national ambition can create a more connected, more joyful and more empowered world.”
