OpenAI is reportedly planning to anchor a colossal 5-gigawatt data center in Abu Dhabi—an AI superhub larger in size than the entire country of Monaco.
According to a Bloomberg report, the proposed facility would span 10 square miles, consuming the equivalent output of five nuclear reactors. If completed, it would be the largest known AI infrastructure project tied to OpenAI.
The project is part of the ambitious “Stargate” initiative, a global collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to deploy ultra-powerful data centers worldwide to support next-generation AI systems.
While OpenAI’s first Stargate campus in Abilene, Texas is expected to top out at 1.2 gigawatts, this Middle East counterpart would be over four times more powerful.
Built in Partnership with G42
The Abu Dhabi data center will be developed in collaboration with G42, a major UAE-based tech conglomerate chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security advisor and brother to the nation’s ruler.
G42 and OpenAI first partnered in 2023 to boost regional AI adoption, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has praised the UAE as an early supporter of artificial intelligence.
“The UAE has been talking about AI since before it was cool,” Altman said during a past event in Abu Dhabi.
Security and Political Scrutiny
However, the collaboration has drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers, concerned about G42’s past ties to Chinese entities.
G42 has previously maintained “active relationships” with Huawei and Beijing Genomics Institute, both of which are on U.S. blacklists due to national security concerns. The firm has also been linked to individuals with alleged connections to China’s intelligence community.
In early 2024, G42’s CEO claimed the company had fully divested from China, saying:
“We no longer maintain any physical presence or active investments in China.”
Soon after, Microsoft invested $1.5 billion into G42, and its president Brad Smith joined G42’s board, signaling a shift in strategic alignment.
Global Stakes and Sovereignty in AI
The Abu Dhabi project reflects the increasingly global stakes in AI infrastructure, as companies and nations race to build out the computational backbone needed for large-scale AI models.
The U.S. government’s concerns over foreign access to American-developed AI capabilities highlight how AI is no longer just about innovation—but also sovereignty, geopolitics, and security.
With OpenAI moving full steam ahead on its Stargate ambitions, the Abu Dhabi facility could redefine the scale of AI development globally, while intensifying debates around tech diplomacy and ethical safeguards.
Conclusion:
As OpenAI scales up its global infrastructure, the UAE partnership marks a bold, controversial step. If realized, the Abu Dhabi campus could become the most powerful AI data center on Earth—and a pivotal node in the worldwide AI arms race.
