The United Arab Emirates is rethinking the blueprint for a massive US-backed artificial intelligence data centre project as the risk of Iranian missile and drone attacks prompts authorities to reassess the security of critical infrastructure. According to reports from Reuters, citing six people familiar with the matter, the 5-gigawatt project is now likely to be developed as a network of data centres spread across the UAE, rather than the initially planned 10-square-mile campus in Abu Dhabi. As reported by Reuters, four of the sources confirmed this shift in the project's design approach, with the proposed redesign including drone and missile interceptors, electronic jamming equipment, blast-resistant concrete and additional backup power and cooling systems.
Authorities are actively considering additional security measures to protect the AI infrastructure from potential aerial attacks. As reported by Reuters, sources indicate that authorities are evaluating air defence systems, underground construction, and other protective measures to ensure facility security. These enhanced security protocols reflect the growing concern over potential military escalation in the region, with officials considering placing facilities handling highly sensitive data, including military information, underground or inside mountains - particularly relevant given that the UAE is largely flat, though mountain ranges run through parts of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. The project's location near Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts US troops and has itself been targeted during the conflict, adds another layer of security complexity.
The reconsideration of the AI hub's design comes as authorities reassess the security of critical infrastructure following escalating regional tensions. According to Reuters sources, the 5-gigawatt project represents a significant investment in artificial intelligence capabilities that requires robust protection measures. The decision to split the facility across multiple sites rather than concentrating it in one location reflects the UAE's commitment to ensuring the project's long-term viability amid evolving security challenges, with the country taking proactive steps to mitigate potential threats to its strategic AI infrastructure. The UAE began reviewing its AI infrastructure plans after Iran launched missile and drone attacks against Gulf states hosting US forces, with two Amazon Web Services data centres in the UAE damaged in March and another facility in Bahrain also hit.
The project, led by UAE-based AI firm G42, is central to Abu Dhabi's ambition to emerge as a global AI hub and diversify its economy beyond oil. It is being developed in partnership with US technology companies including Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle and Cisco. Despite the security review, construction of the project's first phase is expected to continue, with the first phase being a $30 billion, 1-gigawatt compute cluster known as Stargate UAE, where the first 200 megawatts are expected to come online this year. G42 told Reuters that work on the AI campus was progressing as planned, while acknowledging that project specifics are being continuously reviewed against security, resilience and operational requirements, with OpenAI also confirming progress on infrastructure and adoption priorities.
