- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) aims to produce 60 trillion AI tokens through the massive Stargate data center in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement by the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications – Omar Al Olama at the Milken Middle East & Africa Summit (December 4, 2025).
- This target represents 60% of global AI output, serving as the foundation for the strategy to make the UAE the “factory of intelligence” of the world.
- AI tokens are the basic units for measuring the length of text or data in the tokenization process, including letters, punctuation, images, audio, and video – essentially the “language” that AI uses to learn and generate intelligence.
- Nvidia defines an “AI factory” as a next-generation data center where tokens are processed into intelligence, becoming the “currency of the future.”
- Mr. Al Olama stated: “The currency of the future is going to be tokens – convertible to knowledge and insight, enabling decision-making, improving productivity and quality of life.”
- The Stargate center has a design capacity of 1 gigawatt, with 200 megawatts expected to be operational in 2026, part of the 5GW AI Campus currently under construction in Abu Dhabi.
- The Minister said the UAE will increase capacity flexibly according to demand, ensuring efficient investment: “We are not doing it blindly – we will expand when the market is ready.”
- Addressing concerns about a “tech bubble,” Al Olama compared: “The Internet was once called a bubble, but 20 years later, the world’s largest companies are Internet companies.” He affirmed that AI is not a bubble but a long-term innovation cycle.
- Additionally, the application of AI in the energy sector has helped the UAE save 500 million dirhams (~136 million USD), according to data from Adnoc Distribution and state energy companies. AI helps optimize oil production and reduce operating costs.
- The UAE views AI as a new driver of economic growth, parallel to efforts to reduce oil dependence and develop a domestic tech ecosystem.
📌 With a plan to produce 60 trillion tokens (equivalent to 60% of global AI output) and a 5GW data center, the UAE not only wants to lead in AI infrastructure but also shape an “intelligence economy,” where tokens become the new unit of value – similar to the role of oil in the 20th century. The UAE’s “intelligence factory” goal marks a shift from an energy nation to a global data and artificial intelligence powerhouse.
