Ooredoo Kuwait, a leading regional telecommunications provider, has announced the launch of the country’s first sovereign AI-enabled data centre. Developed in a strategic collaboration with global technology giant NVIDIA, this new facility is set to significantly advance Kuwait’s digital infrastructure and AI capabilities.
The state-of-the-art data centre is equipped with NVIDIA’s H200 Tensor Core GPUs, designed to handle demanding generative AI and high-performance computing workloads. This initiative marks a major milestone in Kuwait’s journey towards a knowledge-based, innovation-driven digital economy, aligning with the national goals of Kuwait Vision 2035.
Powering Sovereign AI Capabilities
The establishment of this sovereign AI data centre provides Kuwaiti organisations in both the public and private sectors with access to critical AI computing resources within national borders. This allows government entities and regulated industries, such as finance and healthcare, to develop and operate sophisticated AI models locally, ensuring compliance with national security and data governance standards.
By building local AI-ready computing capacity, Kuwait reduces its reliance on external cloud providers while fostering a domestic ecosystem for AI model development and innovation. With this launch, Kuwait joins other Gulf countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, in hosting its own sovereign AI infrastructure.
A Strategic Partnership Beyond Infrastructure
The collaboration between Ooredoo and NVIDIA extends beyond the physical infrastructure. The partnership includes the development of national AI skill-building programmes, local hackathons, and initiatives aimed at creating Kuwaiti large language models (LLMs). These efforts are designed to empower local talent and accelerate the nation’s digital transformation.
This move is part of Ooredoo Kuwait’s broader evolution from a traditional telecommunications provider into a comprehensive digital infrastructure company. The firm is integrating its 5G Advanced networks, fibre optics, and new AI-powered data centres to deliver next-generation capabilities across various sectors.
Ooredoo’s Regional Digital Transformation
The launch in Kuwait is a key component of Ooredoo Group’s wider regional strategy. In early 2024, the Qatar-headquartered group became an NVIDIA Cloud Partner, signing a deal to deploy thousands of NVIDIA Tensor Core GPUs across its operations in the Middle East and North Africa.
This agreement will enable Ooredoo to offer GPU-as-a-Service, providing customers in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait, and the Maldives with on-demand access to advanced AI and machine learning tools. By empowering its local operators to establish sovereign clouds, Ooredoo is bringing AI infrastructure closer to its customers while meeting the stringent data security measures required by local laws.
About Ooredoo Kuwait
Ooredoo Kuwait is a leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, providing mobile, broadband internet, and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of both individual customers and businesses. As part of the international Ooredoo Group, it is at the forefront of driving digital transformation and enriching people’s digital lives across the region.
Source: middleeastainews
