The US has issued licenses to export Nvidia chips to the UAE as part of an artificial intelligence deal. The deal calls for the Emirates to invest in the US and import 500,000 chips annually by 2030.
US allows Nvidia to export chips to UAE under artificial intelligence deal
The US has approved the export of several billion dollars worth of Nvidia chips to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bloomberg reported, citing sources.
The licenses were issued by the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, which operates under a bilateral agreement on artificial intelligence signed in May.
The goal is to build data centers in the Emirates, which will be key to the development of large-scale AI models and regional digital infrastructure.
The deal involves investments in both sides
According to Bloomberg, the Emirates agreed to invest an equivalent amount in the United States, which was a decisive factor in approving the export.
“The Ministry of Commerce fully supports the transformational partnership between the United States and the UAE in the field of artificial intelligence,” a government official said in a comment to Bloomberg.
Nvidia declined to comment, but analysts estimate that it will gain a strategic market to promote its flagship AI chips.
Half a million chips per year
According to the preliminary agreement, the UAE will be able to import up to 500,000 of Nvidia’s most powerful chips each year, starting in 2025.
The agreement is valid until at least 2027, but it can be extended until 2030.
This makes the Emirates one of the largest buyers of American AI components after the G7 countries.
The geopolitical significance of the deal
US President Donald Trump has made deepening ties with the Gulf states a top goal of his administration. During a tour in May, he announced $600 billion in investments from Saudi Arabia, including large-scale purchases of chips from Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm.
The UAE decision demonstrates that Washington is seeking to expand its technological influence in the region while controlling chip exports to China.
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