Trump's AI power play: Deep dive into US-Middle East deals

During his recent visit to the Middle East, US President Donald Trump secured a series of major artificial intelligence (AI) partnerships, primarily with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE). These agreements involve massive investments in AI chips, infrastructure, and joint projects with big names like Nvidia, AMD, Amazon, and Google.

These deals are not just about exporting technology—they also aim to bring Gulf investment into US-based AI infrastructure. This marks a shift that ties the Middle East closer to American tech and strengthens US influence in the region.

The key deals

Saudi Arabia

• Nvidia will supply 18,000 Blackwell GPUs to a newly launched Saudi AI firm called Humain, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This is just the beginning – the country plans to acquire "several hundred thousand of Nvidia's most advanced GPUs" over the next five years as part of its “AI factories” vision.
• AMD is joining the effort too, with a $10 billion project to supply chips and software for AI data centres stretching from Saudi Arabia to the US.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) will invest over $5 billion to build an “AI Zone” in the kingdom. This includes infrastructure to support more efficient AI training.
• Google is backing a $100 million fund led by Saudi venture capital firm STV to invest in AI startups across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
• Supermicro has agreed to a $20 billion, multi-year deal with Saudi company DataVolt to build AI data centres.
• Altogether, Saudi Arabia’s AI push totals around $600 billion, which includes tech investments from companies like Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, Uber and DataVolt – not just in the region, but also in the US.

Also Read: US tech firms Nvidia, AMD secure AI deals as Trump tours Gulf states

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• The US and UAE will jointly build what is expected to be the world’s largest AI data centre outside the US, located in Abu Dhabi. Emirati firm G42 will develop the 10-square-mile, 5-gigawatt facility.
• Both countries also announced a "US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership" to deepen collaboration on AI development and deployment.

Also Read: Deals take centre stage in Trump's Gulf visit: $80 bn tech push, $20 bn AI data centres & more

What this means for the US

These deals reflect a major policy shift. By bypassing older export restrictions around AI, the US is unlocking trillions of dollars in global capital for AI infrastructure. This inflow helps:

• Expand AI infrastructure back home in the US
• Ease pressure on the US power grid, which is struggling to support growing data demands
• Cement ties with energy-rich Middle Eastern nations, bringing them closer to US technology systems.

Europe could have played a bigger role in supporting AI build-outs, but slow approvals and power shortages have made the Gulf a more attractive option.

Gulf countries aren’t just buyers—they’re now investing heavily in US-based AI infrastructure too.

Risk concerns

However, senior administration officials in the US are flagging two main concerns:

• GPU diversion to China: Some fear that AI chips sent to the UAE could end up in Chinese hands. But analysts say this is “overplayed and unlikely”. Most compute will be run either by US tech giants or trusted local partners like G42, with very limited non-US use, according to news site Semianalysis.
• Misuse of AI models: There’s a chance that malicious actors could use Gulf-based GPUs to train harmful AI models. The suggested solution: enforce strict “Know Your Customer (KYC)” rules to control who can access the compute.

This tour comes at a politically tricky time for Trump, as he faces low approval ratings at home. The Middle East trip shifts attention away from domestic issues like deportations and tariff policies—and distances him from long-standing criticisms about his personal business ties in the region.

However, these AI deals could reshape global tech alliances, making the Gulf a central hub in the AI race, while reinforcing America's leadership in the field.

Also Read: Sam Altman calls critics of Trump's UAE AI deals 'naive'