G42 gets US approval to import advanced AI chips, launching UAE’s AI mega-hub
With this license, the UAE officially becomes the most secure and high-performance AI hub outside the United States, entering a new phase of the global race for secure massive-scale computing.
Emirati group G42 has received the green light from the United States to import the most advanced artificial intelligence chips, in a decision described by the White House as reflecting "deep trust" between the two countries.
The approval accelerates the shift from planning to the actual implementation of the largest AI computing corridor between the UAE and the US.
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The approval allows G42 to operate the Stargate UAE project – a 1-gigawatt computing complex being built by the company for OpenAI in partnership with Oracle, Cisco, NVIDIA, and SoftBank – and supports the largest U.S.-UAE AI campus, with a 5-gigawatt capacity, which will provide low-latency computing and inference for the entire region.
With this achievement, the UAE positions itself as a safe and reliable alternative to American and Asian data centres, consolidating its status as a new global AI hub that combines exceptional performance with geopolitical trust, marking a completely new phase in the global race for technological supremacy.
"This announcement represents a truly pivotal moment. Today, we move from planning to execution with strength, setting a new global standard for secure, high-performance computing. What we build in the UAE will be fully mirrored in the United States, ensuring performance and trust remain identical at every location," Bing Xiao, CEO of G42, said.
The chips will operate under the Regulated Technology Environment (RTE) framework developed by G42 and approved by the US Department of Commerce, making the UAE the only country in the region to apply this level of compliance with US export controls.
Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the UAE Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council, stated that the decision "confirms the depth of the strategic partnership between the two countries. Technology is not just a tool for progress; it is a platform for economic stability, regional security, and long-term cooperation. We are proud that the UAE has become Washington’s most trusted partner in this field."
The decision also strengthens G42’s partnerships with Microsoft, AMD, Qualcomm, Cerebras, and others. The company already manages three of the world’s 500 most powerful supercomputers and recently launched Maximus-01 in New York, which ranked 20th globally upon activation.
The approval comes at a time when G42 already operates three of the world’s top 500 supercomputers, ranking second and third regionally. The company’s footprint now extends to Abu Dhabi, France, and several U.S. states, including California, Minnesota, Texas, and New York.
With this license, the UAE officially becomes the most secure and high-performance AI hub outside the United States, entering a new phase of the global race for secure massive-scale computing.
G42 is a leading global technology group specialising in the creation and development of AI technologies to shape a better future. Founded in Abu Dhabi, it operates worldwide and promotes AI as a central force for public benefit across various sectors.
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