UAE Revises AI Data Center Plan Over Security Risks
The UAE is reconsidering the design of a major AI data center project. The review follows missile and drone attacks that raised concerns over critical infrastructure security.
The 5-gigawatt UAE-US AI Campus may no longer occupy a single large site in Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters. Instead, the project could use a network of data centers across the UAE. The original plan called for a 10-square-mile campus in Abu Dhabi.
Distributed infrastructure for greater resilience
Authorities are also considering stronger protection against drone and missile attacks. Reuters said possible measures include air defenses and placing some facilities underground.
The review follows a broader rethink of how the UAE should build critical infrastructure after the Iran war. However, authorities have not finalized the changes. Reuters said it remains unclear how a new design could affect costs or construction timelines.
The potential redesign highlights how AI data centers are increasingly being treated as critical infrastructure requiring physical protection as well as digital security.
Drone and missile protection under review
G42 leads the UAE-US AI Campus project, which was announced last year. The development forms part of the UAE’s wider push to build large-scale AI infrastructure with U.S. technology partners.
Construction has already started on the first phase. Stargate UAE is a $30 billion, 1-gigawatt compute cluster. Its first 200 megawatts are expected to come online this year.
G42 told Reuters that work was progressing as planned. The company said it continues to review project details against security, resilience and operational standards for critical infrastructure.
