Getting AI into production in the UAE has required a workaround for most enterprises. Available GPU capacity exists offshore but triggers data-sovereignty conflicts; building it on-premises takes capital and time most organisations do not have. Two of the country's largest technology players said on Monday they intend to close that gap.
Core42, the G42-backed sovereign cloud and AI infrastructure company, and e& UAE, the country's dominant telecoms group, announced a joint GPU Sovereign AI Compute platform giving enterprise and government customers immediate access to in-country accelerators paired with carrier-grade connectivity. No capital expenditure is required, data stays within the UAE, and zero egress fees apply.
The deal brings together complementary infrastructure: Core42 contributes its heterogeneous GPU pool and Sovereign AI Cloud; e& UAE adds network reach, local customer relationships, and a professional services layer that has accompanied the telco's own transition from connectivity provider to broader technology group.
"AI is becoming a key part of how organisations operate. Through our collaboration with Core42, we are enabling UAE enterprises and government entities a simpler, faster and more secure way to access sovereign GPU infrastructure, connect their data and operationalise AI at scale. This directly supports the UAE's vision to build an AI-native economy and advance the national agentic AI agenda by enabling organisations to deploy intelligent systems that can analyse, decide and act with greater speed and confidence. The value of this platform is not only AI compute; it is the combination of AI infrastructure, private connectivity, local support and a practical route to production."
Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President for SMB Sales and Marketing, e& UAE
Beyond the primary compute offering, Core42 is developing the Signature National Disaster Recovery Cloud, sovereign infrastructure designed to keep government agencies and critical-sector operators running through national-scale disruptions. e& UAE is launching GPU Connect alongside the partnership, bundling GPU access with premium connectivity in a single commercial package.
"AI deployment at scale demands infrastructure that can operate securely, compliantly, and with the resilience required for real-world execution. This partnership with e& UAE extends sovereign AI from foundational infrastructure into an operational capability, integrating compute, connectivity, and implementation into a single framework built for deployment. By strengthening these invisible foundations, we are enabling organisations across the UAE to move beyond AI ambition and towards sustained, production-grade execution."
Jaafar Al Hashmi, VP of Government Relations and Market Development, Core42
Target sectors include government, healthcare, financial services, energy, education, manufacturing, and industrial operations. The UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 sets an objective of embedding AI across government, healthcare, finance, mobility and digital infrastructure; this partnership now gives organisations a concrete, local infrastructure route to pursue it.
To stay across the latest in cloud, AI and enterprise tech analysis from Compare the Cloud, subscribe to our weekly newsletter at https://www.comparethecloud.net/newsletter
