Cisco, the global leader in networking and security, and G42, the UAE-based global artificial intelligence (AI) leader, today announced a major expansion of their collaboration to build secure, end-to-end AI infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates. This strategic initiative is aligned with the broader US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership, reinforcing a shared commitment to developing trusted, high-performance technology for the AI era. The expanded partnership will see Cisco power, connect, and secure a large-scale AI cluster to be deployed by G42, which will feature AMD’s advanced Instinct MI350X GPUs.
This deployment marks a significant step in the UAE’s digital transformation journey, integrating Cisco’s full-stack, secure AI infrastructure. This includes Cisco UCS 885A servers for compute, high-speed Nexus 9K 800G switches for networking, Firepower 4200 next-generation firewalls for security, and a suite of observability and analytics tools. Cisco will also serve as the technology integrator within G42’s Regulated Technology Environment (RTE), a crucial compliance and security framework designed to uphold the highest levels of governance, transparency, and protection against unauthorized access for advanced compute systems.
Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, highlighted that the collaboration represents the “next phase of deepening trust and technological alignment between the US and UAE under the AI Acceleration Partnership,” emphasizing the goal of building “high-performance, secure, sovereign and compliant AI infrastructure.” Echoing this sentiment, Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco, stated that the partnership strengthens the bilateral AI Acceleration Partnership and underscores Cisco’s role in “powering the UAE’s next wave of AI innovation by delivering secure, trusted, high-performance infrastructure.” The companies will work closely with relevant US and UAE government agencies to obtain all necessary licenses and regulatory clearances for the deployment, which is expected to advance in the coming months.
The urgency for this scalable infrastructure is supported by Cisco’s research, which indicates that while 92% of UAE organizations plan to deploy AI agents, only 25% currently report robust GPU capacity. This partnership directly addresses that capacity gap, positioning the UAE at the forefront of global AI development. This effort contributes to flagship projects under the US-UAE partnership, including the 1GW Stargate UAE cluster under construction in Abu Dhabi and the previously announced 5GW UAE-US AI technology campus. Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD, confirmed their role in providing the high-performance accelerators necessary for the next generation of secure, sovereign AI innovation.
