DOHA, Qatar. U.S. President Donald Trump is set to conclude his Gulf tour with a stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where discussions are expected to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration. Trump will depart Qatar on Thursday after delivering a speech to American troops stationed at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East.
The visit comes amid growing efforts by the UAE to position itself as a global hub for AI development, and it hopes to secure robust support from the U.S. in realizing that ambition.
According to a Reuters report published Wednesday, Washington and Abu Dhabi have reached a preliminary agreement that would allow the UAE to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips annually, starting this year. The agreement is expected to accelerate the UAE’s construction of large-scale data centers necessary for training AI models.
However, the deal has stirred national security concerns within segments of the U.S. government. Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that “the terms could change” due to fears the chips might be redirected to third parties such as China, potentially enhancing Beijing’s military capabilities.
During his four-day swing through the Gulf region, Trump has announced a series of major business deals, including:
- Qatar Airways’ agreement to purchase up to 210 Boeing widebody jets,
- A $600 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia to invest in the United States, and
- $142 billion in U.S. arms sales to Riyadh.
The trip has also been marked by significant diplomatic developments. In a surprise move on Tuesday, Trump announced that the United States would lift long-standing sanctions on Syria, followed by a meeting with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Trump’s final destination will be Abu Dhabi, where he will meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other top officials. The focus is expected to shift toward deepening technological cooperation, particularly in the realm of AI.
Under the administration of former President Joe Biden, the U.S. had placed tight restrictions on the export of high-end AI chips to the Middle East, citing concerns over unauthorized technology transfers to China.
Trump, in contrast, has prioritized strengthening ties with Gulf nations and repositioning the region as a third axis of global AI innovation, alongside the United States and China.
Although he had previously floated the idea of a brief stop in Turkey to join ongoing Russia-Ukraine peace talks, a senior U.S. official confirmed on Wednesday that “the president will not make that stop” and is expected to return directly to Washington following his UAE meetings.
As Trump wraps up this high-profile tour, the AI agenda looms large, not only as a sign of deepening U.S.-Gulf relations but also as a potential pivot point in the global technological power race.
Edgaroo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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