G42’s 1GW Stargate UAE Project Reaches Major Construction Milestone

Significant construction progress is now underway for the Stargate UAE project, a massive 1-gigawatt AI infrastructure cluster being developed in Abu Dhabi. This initiative represents a major step forward in the United Arab Emirates’ ambitious strategy to become a global leader in artificial intelligence technology. The project is being constructed by Khazna Data Centers, a company within the G42 Group, and is situated inside the larger 5GW UAE-U.S. AI Campus.

The development has moved swiftly from its initial announcement in May to its current active construction phase. Global technology leaders, including OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA, Cisco, and SoftBank, are collaborating as partners on this landmark endeavor. The project team is currently focused on building the initial 200-megawatt segment of the total 1GW infrastructure, working on an accelerated schedule to meet its targets.

A spokesperson for G42 confirmed that construction activities are advancing steadily and remain on track for the planned delivery in 2026. Khazna has implemented a design-to-build methodology to ensure a smooth and efficient transition from the planning stages to physical construction on the ground. All design and engineering work is proceeding according to plan, with significant progress already made on the civil, structural, and architectural elements of the build.

Work on the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems is also in its final stages. Furthermore, the production of key modular components has commenced. The project has successfully secured all necessary long-lead equipment, and the first shipments of mechanical systems have already arrived at the construction site, demonstrating a robust and reliable supply chain.

This facility is a cornerstone of the UAE’s national strategy to develop a comprehensive AI ecosystem. It is designed to enable G42’s vision of an “Intelligence Grid” and support the nation’s broader ambition of fostering an AI-native society. In a related May announcement, OpenAI revealed the Stargate UAE as the first international deployment of its AI infrastructure platform. This initiative reflects OpenAI’s long-term goal of establishing frontier-scale computing capacity worldwide to advance safe and broadly beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI).

The partnership is set to make a substantial impact across the UAE. The project will empower the nation to leverage OpenAI’s advanced tools within vital sectors such as government services, energy, healthcare, education, and transportation. This is expected to accelerate the pace of innovation and drive significant economic growth, creating lasting benefits for the country’s residents.

A landmark outcome of this collaboration is that the UAE will become the first country in the world to enable nationwide access to ChatGPT. This will provide the entire population with the ability to utilize OpenAI’s powerful technology. The strategic location of Stargate UAE also gives it the potential to deliver AI infrastructure and computational power across a vast 2,000-mile radius, potentially reaching nearly half of the global population.

(Source: Economy Middle East)