Sam Altman · Anthropic · Abu Dhabi · OpenAI · United Arab Emirates · CNBC Technology
OpenAI deepens Abu Dhabi foothold as Sam Altman inks agreements spanning energy, government and investment
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OpenAI has signed deals across energy, investment and government sectors in the United Arab Emirates as the AI lab works to secure funding from investors in the region as part of a $20 billion round.
Key facts
- MGX, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, has backed both labs, including co-leading Anthropic's $30 billion raise in February and OpenAI's $122 billion raise in March
- OpenAI has signed deals across energy, investment and government sectors in the United Arab Emirates as the AI lab works to secure funding from investors in the region as part of a $20 billion round
- Abu Dhabi and the UAE are setting a bold, global standard for AI integration across both the public and private sectors to make sure the benefits of AI reach everyone," Altman said in a statement
- The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, G42 signed an agreement to deploy OpenAI's frontier technology
Summary
CEO Sam Altman met with Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, as the artificial intelligence lab secured arrangements for several sectors to use its models, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Monday. While the Middle East has emerged as a key AI hub in recent years, with U.S. big tech companies signing deals to develop huge data centers in the region, ongoing conflict has tested that appeal. OpenAI and Anthropic have turned to Middle East investors as they've looked for ever-larger pools of capital to fund growth.