Dubai-based Emirates NBD has partnered with OpenAI to deploy GPT models using in-country inference infrastructure in the UAE, making it the first bank in the MENA region to do so, according to the companies.
The deployment will cover digital customer engagement, risk and compliance analytics, knowledge-intensive workflows and employee productivity. Emirates NBD will also connect the models to its internal systems, APIs and enterprise data.
The bank said the collaboration is expected to accelerate digital service development, improve customer personalisation and strengthen risk monitoring and financial crime controls. In-country inference allows regulated organisations to run AI models within national borders, supporting local requirements around data residency, privacy and operational resilience.
Emirates NBD, which has total assets of AED 1.3 trillion ($354B), described AI as a core part of its operating model. OpenAI will provide the models, tools and UAE-based inference infrastructure. No financial terms were disclosed.
Source: Middle East AI News
