OpenAI Expands Stargate Project to UAE, Teams Up With Cisco, Oracle, and G42

OpenAI is taking its massive AI infrastructure ambitions global, officially launching Stargate UAE, a 1-gigawatt (GW) data center cluster planned for Abu Dhabi — and it’s partnering with Cisco, Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank, and UAE-based G42 to make it happen.

Set to begin delivering 200 megawatts (MW) of compute power by 2026, the project marks a major step in OpenAI’s push to establish regional AI sovereignty and scalable supercomputing infrastructure beyond U.S. borders.

In a blog post, OpenAI introduced “OpenAI for Countries,” a new global initiative designed to help governments build and manage sovereign AI capabilities in alignment with U.S. partnerships. The UAE is the first country to sign on, and under the agreement, will become the first nation to enable ChatGPT access nationwide.

“Stargate UAE will provide advanced AI infrastructure to users within a 2,000-mile radius,” the company stated, signaling its intent to power not just the UAE, but a broader swath of the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.

Why This Matters

• Strategic AI Infrastructure: The UAE’s data center will join the elite club of gigawatt-scale AI clusters — a category that Elon Musk’s xAI is also now targeting.

• Geopolitical Implications: This marks the beginning of nation-to-nation AI collaborations, as OpenAI works directly with governments to export its technology — under U.S. oversight.

• AI as National Infrastructure: By enabling ChatGPT nationwide and building sovereign data capabilities, the UAE positions itself as an AI-forward state and regional innovation hub.

OpenAI’s move into the Middle East shows that AI infrastructure is the new digital oil, and countries aren’t waiting around to get in the game.