There’s a twist in the global AI chip race: Abu Dhabi’s tech powerhouse G42 (yes, the same group quietly shaping some of the UAE’s boldest tech moves) has its sights set on diversifying beyond its current chip MVP, Nvidia. Because let’s be honest — when everyone in AI is chasing Nvidia’s GPUs, it’s like showing up at a crowded restaurant where everyone ordered the same dish. Eventually, you need options.
According to reports, G42 is now in talks with major American tech heavyweights to become anchor tenants at its upcoming UAE-U.S. AI campus. Think of it as a Silicon Valley-meets-Abu-Dhabi innovation hub. Who’s on the guest list? Amazon AWS, Microsoft, Meta, Elon Musk’s xAI, and Google — with Google reportedly leading the charge in negotiations. Basically, all the names we’d expect in a serious AI league table.
But here’s the kicker: G42 isn’t putting all its compute eggs in Nvidia’s basket. Nope. They’re also eyeing AMD, Cerebras Systems, and Qualcomm as alternative chip suppliers for the campus. If it works, that could rebalance some of the chip dependency that’s been slowing innovation (and emptying wallets) across the AI ecosystem.
The big reveal came back in May during then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE, where he announced $200B worth of deals with the Gulf state — and this AI campus was one of the crown jewels in the package.
Why does this matter? Because in the AI gold rush, whoever controls compute power basically controls the future of innovation. G42 isn’t just building a data center — they’re positioning Abu Dhabi as a global AI crossroads, where U.S. giants, chipmakers, and Middle Eastern investment collide.
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