The UAE is planning to produce 60 trillion artificial intelligence tokens through its vast Stargate data centre, as it bids to become the global centre for the technology, the country's Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications has said.
The figure would be equivalent to about 60 per cent of global production and is a key part of the Emirates' ambitions to be the “world's factory of intelligence”, Omar Al Olama told the Milken Middle East and Africa Summit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Tokens in AI are the basic unit to calculate the length of text and can include punctuation marks and spaces, and vary from language to language. The bigger the token count, the more comprehensive the generated results are. Data such as text, images, audio clips and videos are translated into tokens is the process known as tokenisation.
AI factories are a new class of data centre designed to accelerate workloads that efficiently crunch through tokens, converting them from the language of AI to the currency of AI, which is intelligence, according to chip giant Nvidia.
“The currency of the future is going to be tokens, that can be used and transformed into insights or intelligence that will help in decision making, improve the quality of life and improve productivity,” Mr Al Olama said.
“We're trying to reach the capacity of being able to [develop] a token factory that produces 60 trillion tokens.”
He did not provide a time frame for reaching the goal. “So many fundamentals need to check out.” he said.
Stargate, which has a planned capacity of 1 gigawatt, is expected to operate on a 200-megawatt capacity in 2026. It is part of a larger 5GW campus in Abu Dhabi.
“No one is certain about anything, but the investment is there. As long as our partners work with us and we're able to get what we need at the right time, then we are certain,” Mr Al Olama said.
“We are not looking at this blindly. We are going to increase capacity as demand increases as well. You can create a 5GW facility today … it could increase or decrease over time, but from where we stand today, 5GW is what we're going to have.”
Mr Al Olama also sought to calm down fears of a potential technology bubble, on the back of analysts pointing to overvaluations in the stock market.
“It depends on what time period you're looking at. The dot-com bubble was a bubble in that time period. If you look at it in hindsight, the internet wasn't a bubble [as] it came back roaring,” he said.
“The largest companies in the world became internet companies and it transformed our lives. If your time frame was five years, then the word bubble was right. If your time frame was 20, then the word bubble was wrong because the numbers today are much higher than they ever were.”
Dh500m savings in energy production
Mr Al Olama said that using AI tools in energy production has helped the UAE save about Dh500 million ($136 million), reflecting the importance of more investments into the technology.
Companies in the Emirates, especially in energy, are increasingly using AI to stem costs and improve efficiency. Adnoc Distribution, the retail arm of Adnoc, has been developing AI tools as part of a broader streamlining strategy.
“We have a metric for measurement when it comes to energy. How many barrels of oil are we producing? Or how can we reduce the cost of production using AI?” Mr Al Olama said.
“We've had savings so far of around Dh500 million. We are seeing much more savings over time. The end product of that will be productivity gains, and it will be economic returns.”
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
if you go
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The bio
Favourite book: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Favourite quote: “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist
Favourite Authors: Arab poet Abu At-Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi
Favourite Emirati food: Luqaimat, a deep-fried dough soaked in date syrup
Hobbies: Reading and drawing
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Spec%20sheet
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
