Nvidia has struck a significant deal with Ooredoo, a Qatari telecoms group, to implement its artificial intelligence technology across data centers in five Middle Eastern countries. This agreement marks Nvidia's first major deployment in a region where U.S. export restrictions on advanced chips aim to prevent technology diversion to Chinese firms.
Ooredoo announced that the partnership will enable it to offer direct access to Nvidia's AI and graphics processing technology in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait, and the Maldives. The move is expected to empower Ooredoo's clients to leverage generative AI applications effectively.
Ronnie Vasishta, Nvidia's senior vice president of telecom, highlighted that the technology deployment will provide Ooredoo's business clients with a competitive edge unavailable to their rivals for the next 18 to 24 months.
Details of the deal's financial terms were not disclosed, but it was finalized during the TM Forum in Copenhagen on June 19.
Ooredoo CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo emphasized that the exact Nvidia technology to be installed will depend on availability and customer demand, reflecting the flexible nature of the partnership.
While Washington restricts the export of Nvidia's most sophisticated chips to the Middle East, some Nvidia technology remains permissible for export to the region.
Ooredoo is concurrently investing $1 billion to expand its regional data center capacity, aiming for an additional 20-25 megawatts on top of its current 40 megawatts. The company plans to nearly triple this capacity by the end of the decade.
In a strategic move similar to its establishment of the Middle East's largest tower company, Ooredoo has separated its data centers into a distinct entity. Future plans include creating a separate entity for its undersea cables and fiber network, further solidifying its infrastructure operations.
For updates on Nvidia and Ooredoo's technological advancements and strategic expansions in the Middle East, continue following developments in the telecom and AI sectors.
