Wed, 30 Jul 2025

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 The Gulf bets big on AI as it seeks the 'new oil'

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are partnering with the US to position themselves as AI hubs.

* The UAE and US have partnered on a joint AI campus initiative, announced during Trump's visit in the UAE.
* The Gulf states aim to become major players in the global AI map by leveraging their sovereign wealth, geography, and energy resources.
* Data centers will be central to this effort, with Abu Dhabi announcing a massive cluster for OpenAI and other US firms as part of the "Stargate" project.
* Nvidia will supply its most advanced chips for the Stargate project, while tech giants Cisco, Oracle, and SoftBank are also involved.
* The UAE has scaled back some China-backed projects and reduced its reliance on Huawei hardware in favor of the US partnership.
* The Gulf states' pivot towards AI represents a strategic shift in their relationship with the US, moving away from traditional oil-for-security deals.
* The partnership aims to counterbalance China's growing influence in the region and globally in the field of AI.
  >>