19-May-2025 :

OpenAI has announced a high-profile collaboration with the United Arab Emirates to construct one of the largest AI data centers globally and co-develop a sovereign large language model (LLM) tailored to the region. The partnership represents a major step in OpenAI’s ambition to scale supercomputing capacity and support localized AI deployments across the world.
According to TechCrunch, the upcoming AI campus in Abu Dhabi could surpass the size of the entire city-state of Monaco, occupying over 2.1 square kilometers. It will be operated by G42, a leading UAE-based AI and cloud computing company and key OpenAI infrastructure partner in the Middle East.
This partnership also includes development of a 'sovereign model'—a custom LLM that reflects local culture, values, language, and geopolitical priorities. The model is expected to power national-level AI capabilities while ensuring data privacy and regulatory alignment in the Gulf region.
The new infrastructure will accelerate OpenAI’s compute capacity significantly, easing pressure on U.S.-based data centers and laying groundwork for global LLM replication. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly visited Abu Dhabi in recent weeks to finalize the plan, highlighting the strategic importance of regionalized AI deployment.
While the exact timeline remains under wraps, both parties have emphasized urgency, with construction expected to begin within the year. The collaboration has sparked global discussion on sovereign AI models as nations push to localize technological sovereignty amid geopolitical AI race.
This UAE alliance adds to OpenAI’s expanding global footprint, following earlier efforts in Europe, Asia, and South America. It also deepens its long-term alignment with G42, whose backing played a critical role in OpenAI’s earlier infrastructure scaling phases.