OpenAI Signs UAE Deals Across Energy, Investment and Government

OpenAI has struck agreements spanning energy, investment and government in the United Arab Emirates, as the AI company seeks backing from regional investors for a $20 billion funding round.

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, while the company secured arrangements for several sectors to use its models, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said Monday.

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, and G42 signed an agreement to deploy OpenAI's frontier technology. Sovereign investor Mubadala, Inception42 and OpenAI agreed to apply advanced AI capabilities to investment analysis.

The Abu Dhabi government announced an initiative with OpenAI to translate government policies and regulations into machine-readable form, and Inception42 and OpenAI signed a five-year agreement to drive adoption of frontier AI across government, enterprise and education.

The Middle East has become a key AI hub, with U.S. tech giants signing deals to build large data centers in the region, though ongoing conflict has tested that appeal. OpenAI and Anthropic have both turned to Middle East investors for capital; MGX, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, has backed both labs.

"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. "We are proud to support the UAE's ambition, anchored in a shared commitment to safety, accessibility and responsible innovation."

Source: CNBC