Nvidia, xAI join MGX-backed AIP; Abu Dhabi sovereign cloud deal

Middle East AI News weekly digest...

Good morning!

Welcome to this week’s Middle East AI News!

Lots of announcements again this week, including a stream of technology and investment news driven by the UAE security chief’s visit to Washington DC. One widely reported goal of his visit is to request increased access to US AI chip technologies that have recently become subject to new export regulations.

I will cut it short there to make space for all of this week’s stories. If this email is truncated, please open the newsletter on the website to see all the news.

Thanks for reading!

/Carrington

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Investment

NVIDIA, xAI join $100B MGX-backed AIP

#UAE #global #datacentres – The AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP) has expanded with NVIDIA and xAI joining forces with BlackRock, Microsoft, MGX, and , Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). The consortium plans to invest $100 billion in AI data centres and energy solutions across the U.S. and allied nations, strengthening global AI infrastructure. (Middle East AI News)

ADQ, ECP launch $25B US energy venture

#UAE #energy – Abu Dhabi’s ADQ and U.S.-based Energy Capital Partners (ECP) have partnered on a $25 billion venture to build 25GW of power infrastructure, with a focus on the U.S. The initiative will support the growing energy needs of AI-driven data centres. (Middle East AI News)

MGX invests $2 billion in Binance

#UAE #crypto – Abu Dhabi-based MGX has invested $2 billion in Binance, marking the first institutional investment in the exchange and the largest crypto investment ever paid in stablecoin. The deal gives MGX a minority stake and reinforces AI-powered blockchain innovation. (MGX)

AI Diplomacy

UAE seeks U.S. approval to buy more Nvidia AI chips

#UAE #semiconductors – UAE National Security Advisor His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan is in Washington to push for expanded AI chip purchases from firms like NVIDI. The visit follows U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors imposed in 2023, 2024 and 2025. (Bloomberg)

Morocco, U.S. advance AI and digital cooperation

#Morocco #AI – Moroccan Minister of Digital Transition Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni met with senior U.S. officials at the State Department to strengthen AI and digital collaboration. Talks focused on advancing joint initiatives launched last year, reinforcing Morocco-U.S. digital cooperation. (Morocco World News)

Government

Abu Dhabi, Microsoft, G42 sign sovereign cloud deal

#UAE #USA #sovereigncloud – Abu Dhabi has partnered with Microsoft and G42’s Core42 to implement a sovereign cloud system handling 11 million daily government interactions. The deal is part of the emirate’s $3.54 billion digital strategy for 2025-2027, aiming to fully integrate AI. (Middle East AI News)

Digital Dubai, Microsoft launch AI skills programme

#UAE #skills – Digital Dubai and Microsoft have introduced a year-long AI training programme for government employees. The initiative offers three tracks for IT developers, general employees, and senior executives, aligning with Dubai’s AI strategy and Economic Agenda D33. (Middle East AI News)

Dubai establishes government data & statistics committee

#Dubai #datagovernance – Dubai has formed a new Data and Statistics Committee to oversee data governance, AI integration, and data exchange across government entities. Chaired by the Director General of the Digital Dubai Authority, the initiative aims to enhance digital transformation, support data-driven decision-making, and strengthen Dubai’s digital economy. (Middle East AI News)

Oman’s MoL launches AI-driven opportunities

#Oman #AI – Oman’s Ministry of Labour has introduced a smart system to streamline job opportunities as part of its employment policy reforms. The initiative, which includes AI-driven applications and digital governance tools, aims to enhance workforce planning and optimise human resource management in collaboration with the private sector. (Muscat Daily)

Bahrain moves to expand AI use in government

#Bahrain #AI – Bahrain’s Parliament has provisionally approved a proposal to expand AI adoption across government ministries. The initiative, led by MP Hassan Ibrahim, aims to improve efficiency, cut costs, and enhance governance, with lawmakers set to review potential job losses and security risks. (Gulf Daily News)

LLMs

AtlasIA enhances Moroccan Arabic AI translation

#Morocco #darija – AtlasIA has launched Terjman V2, an upgraded open-source large language model improving translation between English and Moroccan Arabic. The model enhances AI applications in customer service and digital communication, addressing data limitations in spoken Arabic dialects. (Middle East AI News)

Innovation

G42, NVIDIA launch Earth-2 Climate Tech Lab in Abu Dhabi

#UAE #climatetech – G42 and NVIDIA have partnered to establish the Earth-2 Climate Tech Lab in Abu Dhabi, leveraging over 100 petabytes of geophysical data to enhance hyper-local weather forecasting. The initiative aims to improve prediction accuracy, support sustainability goals, and provide insights for energy, transportation, and disaster management. (Middle East AI News)

Dubai AI Week

Global AI prompt engineering contest opens registration

#UAE #prompting – The Global Prompt Engineering Championship 2025 is now open for registration. Organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, the event will take place during Dubai AI Week in April, offering a prize pool of AED 1 million across categories including art, video, gaming, and coding. (Zawya)

Education

Abu Dhabi launches AI training program for teachers

#UAE #schools – Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), in partnership with 42 Abu Dhabi, has introduced an AI training program for teachers. The three-stage initiative includes foundational learning, an intensive bootcamp, and a capstone project to enhance AI-driven teaching strategies. (Middle East AI News)

Omantel, TeKnowledge launch AI & data science training

#Oman #training – Omantel has partnered with TeKnowledge to launch an advanced AI and data science skilling program for employees. Combining onsite training and virtual learning, the initiative aims to enhance digital skills across Omantel’s technology, operations, and commercial divisions, supporting the company’s digital transformation strategy. (Times of Oman)

Accenture, CBD launch AI & data training

#UAE #training – Accenture and Commercial Bank of Dubai (CBD) have partnered to launch ‘CBD AI and Data for the Future,’ the UAE’s first enterprise-wide data literacy programme in banking. The initiative, supported by Udacity, will equip employees with AI and data skills to enhance customer experience and drive digital transformation. (Accenture)

Drones

UAE introduces first regulation for unmanned air navigation

#UAE #regulation – The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has introduced CAR Airspace Part Uspace, the region’s first national regulation for certifying unmanned air navigation service providers. The framework sets operational and safety standards for UAV traffic management. (Sharjah24)

Defence

UAE to launch first uncrewed vessel innovation centre

#UAE #autonomousvessels – Janus Marine and Defense, in partnership with Nexus Remote Solutions, is set to open The Quarterdeck, Abu Dhabi’s first uncrewed vessel testing and operations centre. The facility will support startups and SMEs developing USV and UUV technology for offshore and defense applications. (Zawya)

HPC

Algeria opens first AI-focused HPC centre

#Algeria #HPC– Algeria has launched its first AI-focused high-performance computing center in Oran. The facility will support AI research, startups, and industries, boosting the country’s digital innovation capabilities. (AL24 News)

Reports

Dubai Future Foundation releases The Global 50 report

#UAE #FutureTrends – Dubai Future Foundation has launched the fourth edition of "Future Opportunities: The Global 50" report, highlighting the top 10 global megatrends set to shape industries and economies worldwide. Download PDF (WAM)

AI, energy, and infrastructure deals drive M&A growth

#MiddleEast #M&A – PwC’s 2025 TransAct Middle East report highlights AI, renewable energy, and infrastructure as key drivers of M&A activity in the region. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt are accelerating private sector investment, with sovereign wealth funds expanding globally. Despite global declines, Middle East deal volume fell just 4% in 2024, outperforming global trends. Download PDF. (Zawya)

[ This newsletter was AI edited & human edited ]