Al Otaiba: UAE a Global Model in Building Reliable AI

Al Otaiba said the review of the deal was merely a formality.

The UAE Ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba, affirmed that the UAE-US partnership in artificial intelligence has become one of the most important economic partnerships in the world this decade, emphasizing that this relationship is based on trust, long-term investment, and advanced technology.

This came during a keynote address delivered by Al Otaiba at the SCSP AI+ conference in Washington, D.C., where he reviewed the UAE's AI strategy and the growing depth of cooperation with the United States in this vital field.

Al Otaiba stated that a recent report described the UAE as possessing "one of the most ambitious AI models among emerging economies," considering this description an understatement. He explained that what the UAE is building "is not just a model for emerging markets, but a comprehensive framework that any country can rely on if it wants to move quickly and build reliable AI."

Massive Investments and an Unprecedented Partnership

Al Otaiba noted that the partnership between the UAE and the United States is the most important factor that has made this ambition possible, explaining that the two sides are working together on what could become the most impactful economic partnership of this decade.

He added that the UAE is investing heavily in the United States in areas including artificial intelligence infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing, contributing to the creation of thousands of jobs within the American economy.

According to Al Otaiba, the UAE's existing investments in the United States have reached approximately $1 trillion, with a commitment to inject an additional $1.4 trillion over the next decade, in addition to signing more than 30 agreements in the past year alone.

A Massive AI Complex Under Construction

The UAE ambassador revealed that work is currently underway on the construction of a 5-gigawatt US-UAE artificial intelligence complex, the foundation stone of which was laid a year ago during US President Donald Trump's visit.

He noted that the first 200 megawatts of this project will soon be operational, following US approval for the export of thousands of advanced chips. He announced that the first shipment of these chips has already arrived in the UAE, with additional shipments en route.

Al Otaiba explained that the importance of this project lies not only in its scale but also in its geographical reach. The American technology, managed from Abu Dhabi, can serve approximately half the world's population, demonstrating how advanced technology can be deployed responsibly and safely.

Long-Term Investment in Artificial Intelligence

Al Otaiba emphasized that the UAE's achievements were not overnight but rather the culmination of more than a decade of continuous investment in this sector. He stressed that the UAE appointed the world's first Minister of Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and established the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, which is now considered one of the world's leading research centers specializing in this field.

He added that the UAE has set what he described as the "gold standard" for securing advanced technology through rigorous and transparent regulatory frameworks, subject to joint Emirati-American oversight. This is embodied in the "regulated technology" environment and the UAE's joining the Pax Silica initiative earlier this year.

Pax Silica is a US-led international strategic initiative launched in December 2025 with the aim of building a secure, sustainable, and reliable supply chain for advanced technologies, specifically in the fields of silicon, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Post-Oil: A Strategic Shift

In a broader context, Al Otaiba pointed out that the UAE's joining the new cooperation frameworks in the field of advanced technology was not a passing step, but rather a conscious strategic choice, just as its decision to withdraw from OPEC after nearly six decades of membership was.

He explained that this decision was not a dispute over production quotas, but rather an expression of a profound economic transformation. Energy now represents less than a quarter of the UAE's GDP, while the real focus is on artificial intelligence, advanced technology, and reliable partnerships.

Trust-Based AI

Al Otaiba emphasized that the future of AI must be built on trust, security, and accountability, affirming that the UAE is working alongside the United States to develop the regulatory and technological infrastructure that will make this principle a tangible reality.

He concluded by stressing that the global question of how to build a reliable and globally deployable AI infrastructure is one that the UAE has practically answered over the years. He noted that the future of this sector will be led by those who possess the ability to invest, commit, and take responsibility.