The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is making a significant investment in artificial intelligence through a new partnership between its national oil company, ADNOC, OpenAI, and Abu Dhabi-based technology firm G42. The collaboration, announced at the ADIPEC 2026 energy conference in Abu Dhabi, intends to integrate advanced AI capabilities into the UAE's energy sector.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, speaking at the conference, highlighted the critical need for energy to power the advancements in AI, stating, "The energy sector is going to be one of the big beneficiaries of AI coming into the sector." He also identified "Energy" as his biggest challenge, underscoring the symbiotic relationship between the two industries.
The partnership is expected to connect AI systems across ADNOC's operations, spanning from oilfield development and reservoir management to refining, logistics, and commercial trading. One of the initial applications aims to use AI to analyze decades of data from thousands of oil wells and hundreds of facilities to complete complex development plans in hours instead of months. ADNOC suggests this could lead to improved operational efficiency, reduced costs, and quicker responses to market changes, though these improvements have not yet been independently verified.
This initiative is part of the UAE's broader strategy to become a global hub for artificial intelligence. The nation is also involved in the Stargate UAE project, a significant computing infrastructure endeavor with American technology companies, aimed at establishing Abu Dhabi as an international AI center.
Officials and experts at ADIPEC discussed the potential of AI to transform industries. Dr. Angela Wilkinson, secretary general and CEO of the World Energy Council, emphasized a people-centric approach, stating that AI should empower individuals to make better decisions rather than replace human judgment. Conversely, Amos Hochstein, a managing partner at TWG Global and former senior adviser to President Biden, cautioned that the rapid expansion of AI must be balanced against its societal and financial costs, urging U.S. leadership to work closely with industry to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
Mohammed Baharoon, director general of the research center B’huth, described the UAE's technological ambitions as a shift from exporting oil to exporting digital computing capacity. He also stressed the need for regulation to keep pace with AI development, advocating for addressing potential dangers during the creation phase of these systems.
The partnership comes at a time of global energy supply pressures, exacerbated by geopolitical events like the war involving Iran and disruptions to shipping routes. ADNOC CEO Dr. Sultan Al Jaber noted that nearly a billion barrels of oil have been drawn from global inventories due to such disruptions, highlighting the need for systems that can anticipate problems. Altman praised the UAE's proactive approach to adopting AI, calling it the world's most forward-looking country in embracing the technology.