Nvidia’s Middle East moves
On the same day that Nvidia announced a $100 billion investment into ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, the US chipmaker also made a move to cement itself as the Middle East’s go-to AI partner.
On Sept. 22, Nvidia teamed up with Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) to launch a joint AI and robotics research lab in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The TII, the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi government’s Advanced Technology Research Council, said in a statement that the new lab would be a “first-of-its-kind hub in the region for developing next-generation AI models, robotics platforms and humanoid technologies that will accelerate innovation across industries.”
While less flashy than a $100 billion investment, the move is still important, as it further aligns the UAE’s AI push with the US tech giant’s global strategy. The partnership underscores how Gulf states, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, see Nvidia as key to their ambitions to become AI leaders.
Of course, this Nvidia-TII lab emerges after US President Donald Trump’s Gulf visit in May, which saw the UAE ink a multibillion-dollar pact involving Nvidia’s most advanced chips — although security concerns related to China have reportedly delayed the deal’s completion.
Nvidia’s Middle East footprint is also expanding outside of Abu Dhabi. In July, news surfaced that the chipmaker is weighing offers for a multibillion-dollar campus in Israel. Together, these moves show Nvidia is betting heavily on the Middle East, even as some obstacles could still complicate regional plans.