Nvidia and Abu Dhabi's TII Launch Pioneering AI and Robotics Lab in UAE

Nvidia and Abu Dhabi institute launch joint AI and robotics lab in the UAE - The Economic Times

Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute and Nvidia have launched a joint research lab in the United Arab Emirates that will focus on developing next-generation AI models and robotics platforms, TII said on Monday. The joint research hub is the first Nvidia AI Technology Center in the Middle East, TII said in a statement, combining its multidisciplinary research with the U.S. company's AI models and computing power, which are fuelling a global artificial intelligence boom. Under the agreement, the institute will be able to use specific edge GPU chips to advance its research on robotics among other areas, said Najwa Aaraj, the CEO of TII, which is working on humanoids, four-legged robots and robotic arms. "It will be a chip that we will newly use...It's called the Thor chip, and it is a chip that enables advanced robotic systems development," Aaraj said in an interview. TII is the applied research arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council, an Abu Dhabi government entity that is part of the UAE's efforts to become a global AI player. The Gulf country, a major oil exporter, has been spending billions of dollars in recent years on its AI push, looking to leverage its strong relations with the United States to secure access to technology. During a Gulf visit by US President Donald Trump in May, the UAE signed a multi-billion dollar deal to build one of the world's largest data centre hubs in Abu Dhabi with U.S. technology, including the most advanced Nvidia chips. However, the deal has not been finalised amid security concerns due to the UAE's close ties to China, Reuters previously reported citing sources. TII has worked closely with the US company for some time, Aaraj said, adding that TII has been using Nvidia chips to train its own language models. Discussions for the joint lab started around a year ago and the hub will host teams from both parties, Aaraj said, with more staff to be hired specifically for the project.

Abu Dhabi's TII, NVIDIA launch Middle East's first AI, robotics joint lab

Image: Supplied The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and NVIDIA, the global leader in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence (AI), have launched the Middle East's first joint laboratory dedicated to AI and robotics. The TII-NVAITC (NVIDIA AI Technology Centre) Joint Lab for AI and Robotics aims to develop next-generation AI models, robotics platforms, and humanoid technologies, with the goal of accelerating innovation across multiple industries. The agreement was signed at TII's headquarters in Abu Dhabi. "This collaboration with NVIDIA marks a major step toward building AI-enhanced robotic systems capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting in complex environments," Dr Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII. She added that combining TII's robotic platforms with AI models and accelerated computing would accelerate the convergence of perception, control, and language, laying the foundation for intelligent machines. The lab will integrate NVIDIA's accelerated computing platforms with TII's multidisciplinary research in AI, robotics, autonomous systems, and high-performance computing. It will be the first NVIDIA AI Technology Centre lab in the Middle East, with research spanning robotic learning and control at scale, large language models including TII's Falcon AI models, and hardware for real-time robotic systems. Carlo Ruiz, VP - Enterprise Solutions & Operations EMEA at NVIDIA, said the lab expands the scope of NVIDIA's global AI Technology Centre network into robotics for the Middle East, helping researchers accelerate breakthroughs in intelligent systems. The lab will support TII's open innovation strategy The initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi's long-term strategy to advance technological sovereignty and the UAE's wider ambition to establish itself as a global AI and robotics hub. The lab will also support TII's open innovation strategy, including joint research, open-source initiatives, and cross-network learning through the global NVAITC community. TII's existing modular robotic platforms, including robotic arms and delivery robots, will provide a foundation for research focused on technical excellence and practical readiness.

Nvidia and Abu Dhabi institute launch joint AI and robotics lab in the UAE

DUBAI (Reuters) -Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute and Nvidia have launched a joint research lab in the United Arab Emirates that will focus on developing next-generation AI models and robotics platforms, TII said on Monday. The joint research hub is the first Nvidia AI Technology Center in the Middle East, TII said in a statement, combining its multidisciplinary research with the U.S. company's AI models and computing power, which are fuelling a global artificial intelligence boom. Under the agreement, the institute will be able to use specific edge GPU chips to advance its research on robotics among other areas, said Najwa Aaraj, the CEO of TII, which is working on humanoids, four-legged robots and robotic arms. "It will be a chip that we will newly use...It's called the Thor chip, and it is a chip that enables advanced robotic systems development," Aaraj said in an interview. TII is the applied research arm of the Advanced Technology Research Council, an Abu Dhabi government entity that is part of the UAE's efforts to become a global AI player. The Gulf country, a major oil exporter, has been spending billions of dollars in recent years on its AI push, looking to leverage its strong relations with the United States to secure access to technology. During a Gulf visit by U.S. President Donald Trump in May, the UAE signed a multi-billion dollar deal to build one of the world's largest data centre hubs in Abu Dhabi with U.S. technology, including the most advanced Nvidia chips. However, the deal has not been finalised amid security concerns due to the UAE's close ties to China, Reuters previously reported citing sources. TII has worked closely with the U.S. company for some time, Aaraj said, adding that TII has been using Nvidia chips to train its own language models. Discussions for the joint lab started around a year ago and the hub will host teams from both parties, Aaraj said, with more staff to be hired specifically for the project. (Reporting by Federico Maccioni; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)