The ambitious Stargate UAE project is rapidly taking shape in Abu Dhabi, with 3,500 workers currently constructing what will become a 5-gigawatt AI infrastructure cluster. Officials announced that the first phase of the multi-billion-dirham project, featuring a 1-gigawatt compute cluster, will be completed within two years.
Construction of the groundbreaking Stargate UAE project has reached unprecedented scale, with officials confirming that 3,500 workers are currently on-site building the massive AI infrastructure cluster in Abu Dhabi.
The project, announced earlier this year as part of a partnership between the UAE and global tech giants including G42, OpenAI, Oracle, Nvidia, SoftBank Group, and Cisco, represents one of the most ambitious technology infrastructure developments in the region.
“This programme has been accelerated within 12 months. And I don’t think anywhere in the world you can do that in 12 months,” said Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centre, a G42 company, during a media briefing at Gitex Global 2025 on Thursday.
The scale of construction is staggering. According to Gareth Dennison, vice president for special projects at Khazna Data Centres, the team has already completed 1.3 million man-hours of work and moved 1.2 million cubic feet of sand from what was previously a 40-foot-high sand dune just three months ago.
“Just to give you a sense of the size of this project, this is about 10 square miles, not only to build the data center, but the entire ecosystem around it, whether it’s semiconductor business and R&D,” Alnaqbi explained.
The project covers a massive 10 square miles and will serve not only the UAE but the broader region, with more than 3 billion people within a 3,000-kilometre radius targeted for the intelligence grid export.
G42 confirmed that 200MW of the 1GW project is scheduled for delivery in 2026, with the entire 5-gigawatt facility planned for completion within the next few years. The achievement represents what officials describe as a uniquely UAE capability.
“The UAE has an amazing proposition. Once a decision is made, all stakeholders work together to achieve that same goal,” Dennison noted, emphasizing the collaborative approach that enables such rapid development.
The Stargate UAE project was formalized during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UAE, establishing the newly created UAE–US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi. This infrastructure development aligns with the UAE’s broader technology ambitions, which have been supported by strong economic growth and increased investor confidence in the region.
The project represents a next-generation AI infrastructure cluster that will fundamentally change Abu Dhabi’s position as a global leader in artificial intelligence and advanced technology, according to project officials.
The massive workforce mobilization and rapid construction timeline demonstrate the UAE’s commitment to establishing itself as a premier destination for major infrastructure developments that attract international partnerships and investment.
