The Abu Dhabi Technology Innovation Institute and Nvidia jointly announced the establishment of a research institute in the UAE, marking Nvidia's first AI Technology Center in the Middle East. The lab will use Nvidia's dedicated “Thor” chip to advance research and development in areas such as humanoid robots, 4x robots, and robot arms.
Nvidia has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Institute for Technology Innovation (TII) to establish the first Nvidia AI Technology Centre in the Middle East in the UAE. The Center aims to work together to develop next-generation artificial intelligence models and robotics platforms to mark key steps in the strategic expansion of chip giants in the Middle East.
According to a statement released by TII on Monday, the Joint Research Center combines TII's interdisciplinary research capabilities with NVIDIA's advanced AI models and computing power. In an interview, TII CEO Najwa Aaraj revealed that the lab will use Nvidia's dedicated “Thor” chip to advance R&D with humanoid robots, quadrupled robots and robot arms.
This collaboration is part of the UAE government's efforts to become a global player in AI. As a major oil exporter, the UAE has invested billions of dollars in AI in recent years, seeking to leverage its close ties with the US to access cutting-edge technology.
Focus on “Tall” chips and robot R&D
One of the core technical highlights of this partnership is the adoption of Nvidia's “Thor” chips. TII CEO Najwa Aaraj said:
“This is a new chip that will soon be used…is specifically designed to support the development of advanced robotic systems.”
The joint lab focuses on multiple cutting-edge fields. In addition to achieving breakthroughs in specific robotic projects such as humanoid robots, quadruped robots, and robot arms, both parties will explore AI applications in areas such as climate, energy, and genomics. The statement also noted that certain innovative use cases for robotics are planned for industries such as transportation and logistics.
The UAE's AI Ambition
This collaboration is a key component of the UAE's strategy to become a global AI player. As a major oil exporter, the UAE has invested billions of dollars in AI in recent years, aiming to leverage its close ties with the US to ensure technology access.
Previous media reports show that when the US president visited the Gulf region this May, the UAE signed a multi-billion dollar agreement, constructed one of the world's largest data center hubs in Abu Dhabi, leveraging American technology, including the most advanced NVIDIA chips.
Najwa Aaraj revealed that TII and Nvidia have been working closely together for some time, with TII using NVIDIA chips to train their own language models. Discussions about the joint laboratories began about a year ago, with the centre hosting a team of both parties, recruiting additional staff specifically for the project.
This long-standing foundation of collaboration provides strong support for the establishment of new labs, indicating a deeper collaboration between the two parties in the field of AI and robotics.
