Microsoft plans more than $10 billion Gulf investment through 2030

Microsoft plans to invest more than $10 billion across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait through 2030, with spending focused on cloud and AI infrastructure as well as regional operations, a senior executive said.

The investment reflects Microsoft’s continued infrastructure expansion and growing regional operations, Vice Chair and President Brad Smith told Reuters.

Gulf countries have been investing heavily in AI infrastructure as they seek to diversify their economies beyond oil and gas and establish themselves as global technology hubs. Their access to land and relatively low-cost energy has also helped attract major cloud and AI providers.

“We’re sustaining all the investments we planned to make before this conflict started, and we are in fact adding to them,” Smith said, describing the spending schedule as “aggressive.”

Microsoft has supported regional partners with digital resilience assessments since the conflict began on February 28, Smith said. The company is now working with Gulf countries on preparedness and protection of critical data through a digital resilience initiative.

Microsoft did not provide a country-by-country breakdown of its planned investment, citing factors including security. The company also plans to invest more than $400 million in subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East by 2030.

Microsoft is also expanding partnerships with regional AI companies, including Abu Dhabi-based G42, in which it invested $1.5 billion for a minority stake in 2024. Smith currently serves on G42’s board.

The company is also working with Saudi Arabia’s Humain and Qatar’s Qai on selected priority areas, although Smith said Microsoft does not plan to make capital investments in either company.