UAE’s Massive US Investment Focused on AI Growth: Insights from Deloitte’s Gome

The United Arab Emirates(UAE) has pledged a historic investment of $1.4 trillion in the United States over the next decade especially in AI Data Centers, AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy and American manufacturing. The announcement came at the conclusion of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan deepening the economic and technology partnership between the two countries.

Sara Martin Gomes shared insights on the new Bloomberg Horizons Middle East & Africa edition relating to how AI investments will impact the economy of the UAE and the long-term vision strategy of the UAE. Sara is a Director and Leader for AI and Data in the Middle East at Deloitte.

As Gomes explains, the missing AI infrastructure and talent development remains one of the big challenges so, the UAE government is spending heavily on foundational capabilities such as Advanced AI research, AI-driven data centers, Semiconductor manufacturing and AI-focused upskilling programs.

The UAE has placed AI at the center of its strategic economic transformation, seeing it as a key driver of future growth. The country is building its own AI infrastructure and developing capacity that benefits regional businesses that are unable to afford investing in the AI technologies themselves.

The UAE’s $1.4 trillion investment in America represents a historic movement in the advancement of AI in the world. As AI is quarried into the center of the UAE’s economic vision, its emphasis on infrastructure, talent development and global strategic partners are shaping its position as an AI innovator. 

Role of AI Data Centers and Infrastructure:

A considerable share of the UAE’s $1.4 trillion investment in the United States will be allocated to AI infrastructure such as data centers, supercomputers and AI-driven cloud platforms. Gomes emphasized that data centers are fundamental for AI-driven industries.

She also stated that data availability is a challenge for the UAE. The country does not produce the data sets that are needed to power large scale AI models. To remedy this situation, the UAE is proactively seeking to partner with global organizations to gain more access to data sources, ensuring its AI infrastructure remains competitive.

In addition, the UAE’s centralised governance system provides a competitive advantage. In contrast to regions such as Europe which face disparate regulations across multiple jurisdictions, the UAE employs a centralised governance model to facilitate less complex data governance and AI implementation.

Addressing AI Talent Shortage and Future Prospects:

The lack of skilled professionals is one of the key barriers to the expansion of AI in the UAE. The country currently depends heavily on talent from abroad but efforts are underway to build its own talent in AI. 

One example of key initiatives is the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first university specializing exclusively in AI based in Abu Dhabi to prepare the next generation of AI specialists. 

Another example is the “1 Million Arab Coders” Initiative, a national initiative designed to provide Emirati and Arab youth with upskilling opportunities in coding, AI and data science.

These programs aim to bridge the talent gap and equip the UAE workforce with the necessary skills to compete in the global AI industry. As UAE expands its AI offerings, the partnership with the United States may play a key role in developing technological innovation and economic diversification in the Middle East.