Escalating tensions turn spotlight on Big Tech's AI investments in Middle East
Published on March 2, 2026.
The escalating U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran has sparked uncertainty in the Middle East, where Big Tech companies are investing heavily in artificial intelligence, semiconductor partnerships and cloud computing as part of a broader transformation strategy to attract foreign capital and build domestic technology ecosystems. Microsoft plans to invest $15.2 billion in the United Arab Emirates between 2023 and 2029, driven by its expanding AI partnership with sovereign AI firm G42. Amazon Web Services plans to spend over $5.3 billion to build a new data-center region in Saudi Arabia by 2026, bolstering the kingdom's push to become a regional tech hub.
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