AI Revolution in Dubai: Founded on NetApp intelligent data infrastructure

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world—but few places are embracing its potential as boldly as Dubai is. With a commitment to being a global tech leader, Dubai has embedded AI across public services, business sectors, and innovation hubs, all underpinned by a powerful national data strategy.
 
At NetApp, we believe that the foundation of successful AI is effective data management. Our role in Dubai’s AI revolution is not just as a technology provider, but as a partner helping organizations transform data into insight, innovation, and impact.
 
Dubai’s vision is supported by forward-looking government initiatives. For example, the Dubai AI roadmap focuses on integrating AI across key sectors, and the Dubai Data Strategy aims to create one of the world’s most advanced data ecosystems. These frameworks are building the infrastructure for a city that thrives on intelligent decision-making and citizen-centric services.
 
AI adoption in Dubai is already driving transformation in sectors like healthcare, finance, logistics, and urban planning. But that transformation depends on one thing: data. There’s a popular phrase in the tech world, “Data is the new oil.” But what does it really mean? Just as oil powered the industrial revolution, data is powering the digital revolution. But raw data, like crude oil, needs refining—cleaning, organizing, and securing—to deliver value. That’s where NetApp comes in.

We provide the tools to manage data intelligently, securely, and efficiently across hybrid and multicloud environments. NetApp^® solutions support AI workloads from edge to core to cloud—enabling organizations to move faster, to reduce costs, and to scale with confidence.

Meaning that our customers in Dubai have access to cutting-edge platforms that deliver high performance, agility, and security.

Success stories

NetApp is fuelling Dubai’s AI revolution by delivering on-premise, sovereign AI infrastructure tailored for real-time enterprise innovation. Through a 2025 collaboration in Dubai, NetApp integrated its ONTAP® data fabric with the NVIDIA AI Data Platform, enabling local businesses—including healthcare providers—to deploy agentic AI workloads with ultra-low latency and end-to-end compliance  . This platform empowers fast, reliable AI pipelines for diagnostics, imaging, and predictive analytics while ensuring full data sovereignty within the UAE. By eliminating silos and accelerating inference, NetApp is helping Dubai achieve its aspiration as the Middle East’s leading AI hub. Agentic AI workloads using ONTAP

Dubai is on a clear trajectory to becoming a smart city that anticipates needs and adapts in real time. But what does that really look like? Picture smart infrastructure that manages traffic based on real-time congestion and AI-driven energy systems that reduce waste. Picture digital twins of the city that help plan urban growth and public services that personalize citizen experiences with data-powered efficiency.
 
This scenario isn’t a distant dream; it’s already underway. Initiatives like District 2020, the post-Expo 2020 innovation hub, are laying the groundwork for a resilient, inclusive, and data-smart future.
 
Of course, challenges remain. Data privacy, ethics, and talent development will be ongoing priorities. But each of these challenges also presents an opportunity for innovation.
 
At NetApp, we’re proud to support Dubai’s journey. We don’t just deliver intelligent data infrastructure—we deliver positive impact, working alongside our customers to help them unlock the full value of their data and shape the future of AI.

Dubai’s AI journey is just beginning, and so is yours. To learn how your organization can be part of this transformation, visit NetApp AI solutions or explore how our intelligent services are powering innovation worldwide.