The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is collaborating with France on an ambitious project to develop a 1 GW Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center campus. The project is part of a wider joint framework agreement between the two nations, that would reportedly see investments worth € 50 billion.
The announcement pertaining to this collaboration in the field of AI and digital infrastructure was made shortly after a meeting between French President Emanuel Macron and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan last week.
Shedding light on what transpired at this meeting in an official statement, the French government said, “On this occasion, a groundbreaking cooperation agreement was signed between France and the UAE in the field of Artificial Intelligence. This framework agreement includes an investment plan aimed at creating a 1 GW campus dedicated to AI in France.”
It further revealed that both Presidents expressed their “desire to establish a strategic partnership in AI and to develop projects and investments that support the development of the AI value chain,” and that this included “investments in French and Emirati AI, the acquisition of cutting-edge chips, datacenters and talent development.”
“I had the pleasure of meeting with my friend President Emmanuel Macron in Paris for talks that reinforced the longstanding strategic relations between the UAE and France, especially in key sectors including the economy, advanced technology, energy, sustainability, and culture,” posted the UAE President on LinkedIn, adding “Together we witnessed the signing of the UAE-France Framework for AI Cooperation and exchanged views on a number of regional and international topics.”
France is the third European nation to sign an agreement for developing digital and connectivity infrastructure with the UAE. In January this year, the UAE signed a tripartite strategic partnership framework with Italy and Albania to enhance cooperation in renewable energy and energy infrastructure. The deal, reportedly worth €1 Billion, also includes building a 430 km long subsea cable across the Adriatic Sea to enable renewable energy imports.