Statement by Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba on the U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership

During President Trump’s state visit to Abu Dhabi earlier this month, the UAE and U.S. unveiled a landmark agreement to deepen cooperation in Artificial Intelligence and advanced technologies. The first mover under this “U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership” is Stargate UAE. This industry collaboration between G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, Cisco and SoftBank Group expands global AI infrastructure and access, in coordination with the U.S. Government.

This new initiative will build compute capacity to deliver safe, secure and broadly beneficial AI in the UAE, U.S. and around the world. It includes dual investments:

• ⁠A 1GW Stargate UAE AI datacenter in Abu Dhabi, with 200MW planned in 2026; and
• ⁠UAE investment into digital infrastructure in the U.S.

Importantly, this new partnership sets a global benchmark for securing advanced U.S. technology. Through the implementation of a “Regulated Technology Environment,” approved UAE organizations acquiring regulated U.S. technologies will adhere to extensive physical and cybersecurity protocols. These involve regular audits, third-party validations, and active oversight by both nations’ governments. The direct involvement of leading U.S. companies further ensures that advanced AI chips and technologies are fully protected from diversion or unauthorized access.  

This is nothing new. Reinforcing our shared commitment to technological security and integrity, this initiative is just the latest in a broad spectrum of Emirati-American partnerships, grounded in decades of mutual trust. The UAE has purchased and operates some of the U.S.’s most sophisticated defense systems and cooperates closely with the U.S. on a civilian nuclear energy program with strict safeguards.