Tech Desk 
Oct 09, 2025
The United States (US) has reportedly approved several billion dollars’ worth of Nvidia chip exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking a major step in Washington’s expanding artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation with Gulf countries.
As reported by Bloomberg, the Bureau of Industry and Security of the US Commerce Department has granted export licenses to Nvidia under a bilateral AI partnership between the two nations, which was signed in May of 2025.
The agreement would expedite the UAE's development of data centres with large capacity, which are key components for training and deploying AI models.
Although Nvidia declined to comment on the Bloomberg report, a spokesperson for the US Commerce Department stated that the agency was "fully committed to the transformational US-UAE AI partnership deal." Members of the White House and the UAE have thus far declined to comment publicly.
Earlier, Reuters reported that the US and UAE had reached a preliminary understanding that would allow the UAE to import 500,000 Nvidia AI chips annually starting in 2025 as a part of an overall framework that could extend into 2030.
The agreement has been characterised by some as part of Washington's larger effort to fortify AI cooperation with Gulf allies, while maintaining its dominance of specific technology amid intensified competition and rivalry with its geopolitical rival, China.
During his Gulf tour in May, President Donald Trump announced a total of $600 billion in commitments from Saudi Arabia and the potential for large deals for Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm.
The UAE, which has been investing heavily in artificial intelligence through its AI Office and G42 group, is expected to use Nvidia’s advanced chips to power next-generation data centres and AI infrastructure, positioning the country as a rising tech hub in the Middle East.
