UAE’s Stargate Project: First 200 MW Phase to Go Live by 2026

Abu Dhabi is gearing up to launch the first phase of its ambitious Stargate UAE AI and data infrastructure campus in 2026. Developed by state-backed company G42 in collaboration with global tech giants including OpenAI, Nvidia, Oracle, Cisco, and SoftBank, the project will see an initial 200 megawatts of computing capacity become operational next year.

Situated on a sprawling site spanning around 26 square kilometres, the Stargate UAE campus is ultimately planned for 5 gigawatts of AI-ready data centre power. The first phase focuses on a 1-gigawatt compute cluster, of which 200 MW is poised to come online in 2026. This infrastructure will utilize Nvidia’s latest Grace Blackwell GB300 systems, including an estimated 100,000 Nvidia chips, deployed across approximately 1,400 servers as per analyst estimates.

The project is more than just raw computing power. It forms a key part of UAE strategy to establish itself as a global hub for artificial intelligence, sovereign compute capability, and advanced technology infrastructure. The Stargate UAE initiative is built around partnerships with U.S. allies and institutions, aligned with recent developments in export control regulations that have enabled access to advanced technology components.

In addition to providing high-performance AI infrastructure for government entities, the commercial sector, and research institutions in the UAE, Stargate’s opening phase will also address global concerns around security, data sovereignty, and responsible AI deployment. Authorities are putting in place measures to ensure the initiative meets stringent standards, especially given global attention on technology exports, cross-border collaboration, and emerging AI risk frameworks.