NVIDIA AI GPUs on their way to the UAE as Microsoft gets 'pivotal' approval from Trump admin

NVIDIA will be sending over 60,000 of its Blackwell AI GPUs to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a $15 billion deal with Microsoft, with approval for the AI chips coming from the Trump administration.

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The UAE has been spending billions of dollars to make itself a global AI hub, using its close relations with the US government to get its hands on US semiconductor technologies, including the most advanced AI GPUs. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, said in an interview: "The biggest share of (the investment), by far, both looking back and looking forward, is the expansion of AI data centres across the UAE".

On the sidelines of the ADIPEC energy conference in Abu Dhabi, Smith added: "From our perspective, it's an investment that is critical to meet the demand here for the use of AI".

President Trump, just a couple of days ago, said that the US wouldn't allow any other countries to get their hands on the best NVIDIA Blackwell AI GPUs, but it seems those GPUs are still flowing to the Middle East. However, through Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment to secure a minority stake in Abu Dhabi-based AI company, G42, it gives the US company a board seat, which Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, fills.

In a separate blog post on Microsoft's website on Monday, Smith said that the licenses approved last year by the Biden administration allowed Microsoft to secure around 21,500 of NVIDIA A100 GPUs to the UAE, with a combination of A100, H100, and H200 AI GPUs.

Just last month in September, the US government cleared an export for around 60,400 of NVIDIA's A100 AI GPUs, including NVIDIA's new best Blackwell Ultra B300 AI GPUs, after the Trump administration revised its technology safeguards.