Abu Dhabi Launches Middle East’s First Joint AI and Robotics Lab with Nvidia
Pioneering AI and Robotics Innovation, Abu Dhabi Strengthens Its Role as a Global Tech Hub
Strategic partnership aims to advance humanoid systems, autonomous platforms, and AI-driven innovation across industries
Abu Dhabi has taken a landmark step in the Middle East’s technology landscape with the launch of the region’s first joint AI and robotics research lab, in collaboration with global AI leader Nvidia. The TII-NVAITC Joint Lab for AI and Robotics represents the first Nvidia AI Technology Center (NVAITC) in the Middle East to focus on robotics, marking a significant milestone in the UAE’s ambitions to become a global hub for artificial intelligence and intelligent systems.
The lab will integrate Nvidia’s accelerated computing platforms with the Technology Innovation Institute’s (TII) cutting-edge research in AI, robotics, and high-performance computing. It will support the development of next-generation humanoid systems, autonomous platforms, and embodied AI models, leveraging TII’s Falcon family of large language models — the largest developed in the Middle East.
“This collaboration with Nvidia marks a major step toward building AI-enhanced robotic systems capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting in complex environments,” said Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII. “We are accelerating the convergence of perception, control, and language – laying the foundation for a new era of intelligent machines.”
The partnership enables TII to access advanced edge GPU chips for robotics research, while Nvidia’s vice president of enterprise solutions and operations for EMEA, Carlo Ruiz, emphasized the global significance: “By working with TII in Abu Dhabi, we are helping researchers and innovators accelerate breakthroughs that will shape the future of intelligent systems.”
The agreement was formalized at a high-profile event attended by senior officials, including Shahab Abu Shahab, Director General at the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and Nvidia executives John Josephakis and Simon See.
The launch aligns with the UAE’s sweeping AI strategy, which seeks to embed artificial intelligence across key sectors such as healthcare, education, energy, logistics, and government services. Since the unveiling of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2017, the country has committed billions of dirhams to developing its AI capabilities, with goals including contributing up to 20% of non-oil GDP by 2031. The domestic AI market is projected to grow from AED 12.7 billion in 2023 to over AED 170 billion by 2030, a compound annual growth rate of 44%.
To support this vision, the UAE has implemented initiatives such as appointing Chief AI Officers across federal entities, establishing AI-focused academic institutions, and facilitating international knowledge exchange programs. A recent 10-day tour of the US saw 50 Emirati AI leaders engage with global tech giants including Google, Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft.
The TII-Nvidia lab is the latest in a series of strategic collaborations underscoring Abu Dhabi’s and the UAE’s ambition to lead not just regionally but globally in AI and robotics innovation.
