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This collaboration bewteen Qatar’s Ooredoo & NVIDIA’s will help Qatar offer its clients in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait, and the Maldives direct access to NVIDIA’s AI and graphics processing technology read more
 "Despite US curbs, NVIDIA to launch high-end AI chips in West Asia amid concerns of China dodging ban")
While the US allows some NVIDIA technology exports to the Middle East, it restricts the export of the company’s most advanced chips. Image Credit: Reuters
NVIDIA has struck a deal with Qatari telecom giant Ooredoo to implement its artificial intelligence (AI) technology in data centres across five Middle Eastern countries, according to Ooredoo’s CEO.
This collaboration marks NVIDIA’s first major initiative in a region where the US has restricted the export of advanced chips to prevent Chinese firms from indirectly obtaining the latest AI technology.
The agreement will position Ooredoo as 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, as stated by Ooredoo, will provide a significant edge in deploying generative AI applications.
Ronnie Vasishta, NVIDIA’s senior vice president of telecoms, highlighted that this technology will enable Ooredoo to better support its customers. Speaking to Reuters, Ooredoo’s CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo claimed that NVIDIA’s B2B clients, because of this agreement, will have access to services that will take at least 18 to 24 months for NVIDIA’s competitors to come up with.
The finer details, especially the financials of the deal, which was signed on June 19, were not disclosed. Additionally, Ooredoo did not specify which NVIDIA technologies would be installed in their data centres, stating that it depends on availability and customer needs.
While the US allows some NVIDIA technology exports to the Middle East, it restricts the export of the company’s most advanced chips. Despite these limitations, the partnership is expected to significantly enhance Ooredoo’s capabilities.
Ooredoo is investing $1 billion to expand its data centre capacity by an additional 20-25 megawatts, on top of the current 40 megawatts. The company aims to nearly triple this capacity by the end of the decade. This investment is part of Ooredoo’s broader strategy, which recently included separating its data centres into a standalone entity. Last year, Ooredoo partnered with Kuwait’s Zain and Dubai’s TASC Towers Holding to create the Middle East’s largest tower company.
Future plans for Ooredoo include creating a separate entity for its undersea cables and fiber network, further strengthening its infrastructure and service offerings.
This partnership between NVIDIA and Ooredoo represents a significant advancement in bringing advanced AI technology to the Middle East, setting a new standard for the region’s tech landscape and providing a competitive edge to Ooredoo’s clients.
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English (US) ·