Stargate UAE marks a bold $30bn leap in AI infrastructure

The Stargate UAE data centre project is expected to cost more than $30 billion, underscoring the scale of the Emirates’ investment in AI infrastructure.

Speaking at the Machines Can Think summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE Minister of State for AI described the project as a centrepiece of the UAE’s efforts to expand global cooperation on AI infrastructure.

Designed as a flagship development, Stargate UAE reflects the country’s ambition to lead in AI infrastructure. Spanning 19.2 square kilometres in Abu Dhabi, the campus will be built in phases, with the first phase due in the third quarter of 2026.

Beyond domestic capacity, the UAE is positioning Stargate UAE as a platform to support the sovereign AI and data sovereignty needs of other countries.

Officials emphasised that the initiative aims to provide non-profit-oriented AI options that nations can adapt, train, and build upon in response to rising global concerns about the control of data and AI systems.

The project is supported by the UAE’s expanding capabilities in large language model development, including Jais and K2 Think.

Stargate UAE is being developed by Khazna Data Centres, part of Abu Dhabi-based AI group G42, in partnership with global technology companies including OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, SoftBank, and South Korea, reinforcing its role as a globally collaborative AI infrastructure initiative.

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