Cisco Joins Stargate UAE Initiative

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May 22, 2025, 11:26 ET

Cisco to collaborate with G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank Group to power AI innovation and infrastructure development in recently announced UAE-US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi

News Summary

Cisco to provide networking, security and observability hardware and software solutions for OpenAI workloads, advancing AI infrastructure in the Middle East.
Strategic partnership supports the Stargate Project's commitment to safe, broadly distributed AI development and responsible capital stewardship.
MOU signed by Cisco's Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Chuck Robbins, together with G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank Group.
MOU aligns with President Trump's visit to the region last week and complements Cisco's recently announced initiatives focused on powering the AI ambitions in the Middle East.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed highlighted this milestone project in Abu Dhabi, during a signing ceremony attended by Cisco President and Chief Product Officer Jeetu Patel.

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), the global leader in networking and security, today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to join the Stargate UAE consortium as a preferred technology partner. The strategic MoU, signed by Cisco's Chair and Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins together with other consortium partners, G42, OpenAI, Oracle, NVIDIA and SoftBank Group, envisions the construction of an AI data center in Abu Dhabi with a target capacity of 1 GW, with an initial 200 MW capacity to be delivered in 2026.

From left to right: Marty Edelman, General Counsel of G42; His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Adviser, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC); His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister; Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of NVIDIA; Sam Altman, Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI; Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group; His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates; Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer of Cisco; Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42; Mike Sicilia, EVP Global Industries of Oracle; His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Vice-Chairman of AIATC; His Excellency Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala Investment Company and Member of the AIATC.

As a partner in this initiative, Cisco will provide advanced networking, security and observability solutions to accelerate the deployment of next-generation AI compute clusters.

"With the right infrastructure in place, AI can transform data into insights that empower every organization to innovate faster, tackle complex challenges, and deliver tangible outcomes," said Chuck Robbins, Cisco Chair and CEO. "Cisco is proud to join this consortium to harness the power of AI and deliver the infrastructure that will enable tomorrow's breakthroughs."

Today's announcement follows Robbins' recent visit to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE where Cisco announced a series of strategic initiatives across all phases of the AI transformation in the region. These new initiatives employ Cisco's trusted technology across the region's AI infrastructure buildouts, leveraging the company's deep expertise in networking and security together with longstanding regional partnerships. By fostering the development of secure, AI-powered digital infrastructure and collaborating with key Cisco partners, the company is delivering world-class, trusted technology to the region. For more information on Cisco's recent announcements in the Middle East, see here.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on the Cisco Newsroom.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among others, statements regarding Cisco's future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations, including the anticipated timing, consummation and expected benefits of its plans in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including, among other things, the ability of Cisco to achieve expected benefits of its investments, business and economic conditions and growth trends, increased competition, global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment and other risk factors set forth in Cisco's most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, respectively. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.

SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.