Abu Dhabi is set to host a major new data centre as part of a landmark collaboration between leading global technology companies from the UAE and the United States. The 300-megawatt facility, scheduled to become operational next year, will form the first phase of a massive five-gigawatt UAE-US technology campus in the capital.
Dr Andrew Jackson, Group Chief Officer at G42, announced the development during a panel session at GITEX Global 2025, describing it as a “massive-scale endeavour” that will unfold in stages. “It starts off with a 300-megawatt outlet by next year, filled then with servers very quickly,” he said. “We’re already progressing well, but the real landing point will come next year. Between now and then, there’s a lot of work to do.”
The ambitious project, called Stargate UAE, brings together industry leaders including G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, SoftBank Group, and Cisco. Designed to serve as a next-generation data infrastructure cluster, the initiative is expected to position Abu Dhabi as a central hub for advanced computing capabilities and innovation across multiple industries.
Dr Jackson emphasized that the project’s scale requires cooperation at every level. “This is going to be a joint effort by companies and governments,” he said. “If you want to transform a nation, it can’t just be one entity. It needs to be many. It’s about transforming productivity, driving innovation, and ultimately contributing to an improvement in GDP.”
Construction of the data centres has already begun, and the initiative is expected to generate thousands of new jobs. “It’s creating employment and new opportunities,” Dr Jackson said. “We’re running several programmes to bring technology-related roles into the workforce, including initiatives to employ Emiratis in innovation and engineering work.”
Rod Solaimani, Head of Policy and Partnerships for the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia at OpenAI, also spoke about the importance of collaboration. “We can’t do it as one company or even as a group of companies,” he said. “This has become a multi-company, multi-government undertaking. It’s a recipe for success and ensures that everyone is on the same page.”
Other panellists included Mohannad Abuissa, Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer for Solutions Engineering at Cisco; and Mohamed Taha Benssiba, Head of Technology for the Middle East and Africa at Oracle.
Dr Jackson concluded that the first major wave of transformation from the project would be seen in 2026, marking a new chapter in Abu Dhabi’s journey toward becoming a global centre for digital infrastructure and technological innovation.
