Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-11-03 13:30Core Insights - The U.S. government has granted Microsoft permission to export advanced AI chips to the UAE, unlocking a significant $15 billion investment plan in the region [1] - Microsoft plans to invest a total of $15.2 billion from 2023 to 2029, with over $7.9 billion allocated for AI and cloud infrastructure [1][2] - The investment is part of a broader strategy to support the UAE's economic diversification and transformation into a global tech hub [2] Investment Details - Microsoft will invest over $5.5 billion in capital expenditures for cloud and AI infrastructure from 2026 to 2029, along with approximately $2.4 billion for operational expenses and local hiring [2] - The new investment commitment follows Microsoft's previous $7.3 billion investment in the UAE over the past three years, maintaining a similar annual spending level while focusing more on AI and cloud computing [2] AI Capabilities Enhancement - With the new export license, Microsoft plans to nearly double the number of advanced NVIDIA chips deployed in the UAE, increasing total computing power by four times [3] - The company has already deployed the equivalent of 21,500 NVIDIA A100 GPUs and will be allowed to ship an additional 60,400 A100 equivalent chips, including the latest GB300 products [3] Strategic Importance - Brad Smith emphasizes the importance of the U.S.-UAE relationship in the global AI race, particularly in the context of technology diffusion to avoid increasing global economic inequality [4] - The UAE is positioned as a key node for spreading AI technology to regions such as Southern Europe, Africa, and East Asia [1][4]