Wedoany.com Report-May 26, OpenAI has announced the launch of its first international Stargate deployment, selecting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the initial site. The project involves the construction of a 1GW data centre, set to support advanced AI workloads in the region. The announcement marks the beginning of the OpenAI for Countries programme, which aims to expand AI infrastructure globally.
Stargate UAE is a collaborative effort between OpenAI and partners including G42, Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank. The project is backed by investment from the UAE, with the country providing support to facilitate the buildout of high-capacity infrastructure.
According to OpenAI, the facility will serve a wide region: “Stargate UAE has the potential to provide AI infrastructure and compute capacity within a 2,000-mile radius, reaching up to half the world’s population.”
The new data centre is scheduled to begin operations in 2026, with an initial deployment of 200 megawatts. Although the full 1-gigawatt capacity is planned, a detailed timeline for reaching that scale has not yet been disclosed.
OpenAI stated: “The new partnership will support the UAE in leveraging OpenAI’s tools across critical sectors like government, energy, healthcare, education, and transportation to help accelerate innovation and economic growth while creating lasting benefits for its people.”
Stargate UAE is the first confirmed deployment under the OpenAI for Countries initiative. Although earlier reports indicated potential expansion into the UK, France, and Germany, the UAE has secured the initial launch. OpenAI aims to eventually establish ten such facilities worldwide.
To identify new locations, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, Jason Kwon, is set to begin a tour of the Asia Pacific region. He will meet with government officials and private-sector stakeholders to explore future collaboration opportunities.
“We look forward to continuing to work with governments and partners who share this vision,” OpenAI noted in its statement.
This development highlights OpenAI’s global strategy to decentralize AI computing resources and strengthen digital infrastructure in collaboration with international partners. The project is positioned to contribute to technological advancement and support the digital transformation goals of participating countries.
