The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) in Abu Dhabi has partnered with Nvidia to establish a joint research lab in the United Arab Emirates. The facility will focus on advancing next-generation artificial intelligence models and robotics platforms, marking the launch of the first Nvidia AI Technology Center in the Middle East.
According to TII, the collaboration brings together its multidisciplinary research expertise with Nvidia’s advanced AI models and high-performance computing capabilities, which are driving rapid global innovation in artificial intelligence.
Under the agreement, TII will gain access to specialised edge GPU chips to boost its robotics research. Najwa Aaraj, Chief Executive Officer of TII, explained that the lab will incorporate Nvidia’s latest Thor chip, which is designed to support advanced robotic systems. “It will be a chip that we will newly use. It is called the Thor chip, and it is a chip that enables advanced robotic systems development,” Aaraj said in an interview.
TII is the applied research division of the Advanced Technology Research Council, a government entity in Abu Dhabi. This initiative is part of the UAE’s broader ambition to position itself as a leading player in the global AI sector. In recent years, the Gulf nation has invested billions of dollars to accelerate its artificial intelligence capabilities, supported by strong partnerships with the United States.
In May, during a Gulf visit by U.S. President Donald Trump, the UAE signed a multi-billion dollar agreement to build one of the world’s largest data centre hubs in Abu Dhabi using U.S. technology, including Nvidia’s most advanced chips. However, the deal has yet to be finalised due to security concerns linked to the UAE’s close ties with China, according to reports.
Aaraj noted that TII has been working with Nvidia for some time and has already used the company’s chips to train its own language models. Discussions for the joint research lab began about a year ago, and the new hub will host teams from both organisations, with additional staff to be recruited specifically for the project.
This collaboration is seen as a significant step in strengthening the UAE’s position in the global AI landscape, combining cutting-edge hardware with applied research to develop robotics and advanced AI systems.
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