The United Arab Emirates is aiming to redefine the global AI landscape by planning to produce a staggering 60 trillion AI tokens at its Stargate AI campus in Abu Dhabi. Omar Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, described this goal as a step toward transforming the country into the “world’s factory of intelligence.”
What is an AI token?
AI tokens are the smallest units of data that AI systems use to learn, process, and generate information. They break down text, images, audio, and video into manageable pieces, where each token can include letters, numbers, punctuation marks, or spaces. The process of converting raw data into these units is known as tokenisation.
These tokens are essential for AI models to understand relationships within data, enabling tasks such as prediction, reasoning, and content generation. In modern AI systems, the speed and volume of token processing, referred to as token throughput, directly determine the system’s intelligence and output quality.
A new type of data centre, called an AI factory, has emerged to handle this scale. Unlike conventional data centres, which primarily store and compute data, AI factories are optimized to process massive numbers of tokens efficiently, converting raw data into real-time insights. In this sense, AI factories manufacture intelligence at scale, and tokens serve as the currency of this production.
Building the world’s factory of intelligence
At the Milken Middle East and Africa Summit in Abu Dhabi, Al Olama outlined the UAE’s vision for becoming the “world’s factory of intelligence.” He emphasized that AI factories like Stargate are designed to convert data into intelligence that can enhance decision-making, productivity, and quality of life. “The currency of the future is going to be tokens, that can be used and transformed into insights or intelligence that will help in decision making, improve the quality of life and improve productivity,” he said.
Stargate campus and capacity plans
The Stargate campus forms the core of the UAE’s AI ambitions. It is designed as a hyperscale facility with a planned capacity of 1 gigawatt, ultimately part of a larger 5GW AI campus in Abu Dhabi. By 2026, Stargate is expected to operate at 200 megawatts, with capacity scaled over time according to demand. “We are not looking at this blindly. We are going to increase capacity as demand increases as well. You can create a 5GW facility today … it could increase or decrease over time, but from where we stand today, 5GW is what we're going to have,” Al Olama said.
He also addressed concerns about potential overvaluation in the AI sector, drawing parallels with the early internet era. “The dot-com bubble was a bubble in that time period. If you look at it in hindsight, the internet wasn't a bubble. The largest companies in the world became internet companies and it transformed our lives. If your time frame was five years, then the word bubble was right. If your time frame was 20, then the word bubble was wrong because the numbers today are much higher than they ever were.”
Economic and energy implications
AI adoption is already delivering tangible economic benefits in the UAE. Al Olama revealed that AI tools in energy production have saved the country around Dh500 million ($136 million). Companies like Adnoc Distribution are leveraging AI to streamline operations, reduce production costs, and improve efficiency. “We have a metric for measurement when it comes to energy. How many barrels of oil are we producing? Or how can we reduce the cost of production using AI? We’ve had savings so far of around Dh500 million. We are seeing much more savings over time. The end product of that will be productivity gains, and it will be economic returns,” he said.
The UAE’s approach positions AI tokens as a strategic national asset. With a planned 60 trillion tokens, equivalent to about 60 percent of global AI token production, the country is aiming to secure a commanding role in the global AI economy. Al Olama described token throughput as a modern equivalent to oil or rare earth minerals, emphasizing that controlling this capacity enables the UAE to export intelligence while supporting domestic innovation.
Looking ahead
While no specific timeline has been provided for achieving the 60 trillion token goal, the UAE is steadily progressing toward its target, guided by careful planning and international partnerships. Al Olama acknowledged uncertainties in scaling the project, stating, “No one is certain about anything, but the investment is there. As long as our partners work with us and we're able to get what we need at the right time, then we are certain.”
The Stargate AI campus represents more than just a technological project. It is a statement of intent, signaling the UAE’s determination to establish itself as a global AI powerhouse. With strategic infrastructure, economic incentives, and careful scaling, the Emirates is creating a sustainable AI ecosystem that could transform industries and redefine national competitiveness in the 21st century.