In a major development for the region, Nvidia has signed a deal with Qatari telecoms group Ooredoo to deploy its artificial intelligence technology at data centers in five Middle Eastern countries. This marks Nvidia’s first large-scale launch in the region, as Washington has restricted the export of sophisticated US chips to prevent Chinese firms from accessing the latest AI technology through Middle Eastern countries.
Through this agreement, Ooredoo will become the first company in the region to offer clients in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait, and the Maldives direct access to Nvidia’s AI and graphics processing technology. This technology will enable Ooredoo to assist customers in deploying generative AI applications more effectively, according to Nvidia’s senior vice-president of telecoms, Ronnie Vasishta.
Ooredoo’s CEO, Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, emphasized that this partnership will allow their business clients to have access to cutting-edge services before their competitors, giving them a significant advantage in the market. The value of the agreement signed between the two companies at the TM Forum in Copenhagen on June 19 was not disclosed.
The specific type of Nvidia technology that will be installed in Ooredoo’s data centers will be determined based on availability and customer demand. Washington permits the export of some of Nvidia’s technology to the Middle East but restricts the export of the company’s most advanced chips.
As part of its ongoing expansion plans, Ooredoo is investing US$1 billion to increase its regional data center capacity and aims to triple it by the end of
