Microsoft to Pour $7.9 Billion Into UAE AI and Cloud Buildout Through 2029

Overview

• The company set its total UAE commitment to $15.2 billion for 2023–2029 focused on artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud capacity.
• Brad Smith said Microsoft has already deployed the equivalent of 21,500 Nvidia A100 chips in the UAE and expects to ship about 60,400 more, including some GB300 units, within months.
• From 2026 to 2029, more than $5.5 billion will go to capital spending on data centers, with roughly $2.4 billion designated for operating costs and local hiring.
• Export approvals came with strict cybersecurity and physical safeguards, and U.S. officials continue to warn about technology-transfer risks as reporting indicates direct Nvidia sales to Emirati firms such as G42 remain unapproved.
• The Abu Dhabi announcement coincided with Microsoft’s broader compute expansion, including a $9.7 billion data-center agreement with IREN in Texas disclosed the same day.