U.S. President Donald Trump is set to terminate a four-day trip of the Gulf with a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, where artificial intelligence is expected to be a key topic in talks with Emirati leaders. The tour follows a string of bilateral engagements and multibillion-dollar business deals aimed at strengthening ties with Gulf nations.
A initial agreement between the U.S. and UAE would allow the Gulf nation to import 500,000 of Nvidia’s most advanced AI chips annually, starting this year. The chips are vital for powering the data centers that play a pivotal role to the development of advanced artificial intelligence models.
UAE officials hope the deal will help position the country as one of the top three global hub for AI, besides the United States and China. The chip imports are expected to boost the expansion of computing infrastructure imperative to machine learning, autonomous systems, and other high-tech sectors.
The switch in policy marks a departure from the Biden government’s firmer controls on AI chip exports to the Middle East. Those initiatives were introduced to curb the global spread of sensitive technology and to maintain the U.S. advantage in cutting-edge innovation.
Trump’s administration has emphasized closer ties with Gulf nations, particularly in technology and defense. Officials say these partnerships are essential to countering the influence of rival powers in the region and fostering economic modernization among allies.
The president is due to address U.S. troops at Al Udeid Air Base southwest of Doha on Thursday before visiting to Abu Dhabi to meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other senior officials.
Trump’s Gulf visit has also included a series of landmark commercial and bilateral moves. On Tuesday, he made a surprise declaration that the U.S. would lift prevailing sanctions on Syria, followed by a meeting with Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Shara.
Among the major business deal announced during the journey were Qatar Airways’ agreement to buy up to 210 Boeing widebody jets, a $600 billion Saudi vow to invest in the U.S., and $142 billion in American arms sales to the kingdom.
Trump had floated the possibility of a side trip to Turkey to join Russia-Ukraine peace talks, but a U.S. official confirmed on Wednesday that the president would return directly to Washington after completing his UAE meetings.
The tour highlights Washington’s evolving lay out in the Middle East, with evolving emphasis on technological partnerships and regional clout in the emerging global AI perspective.
