Abu Dhabi’s G42 expands footprint with $1 billion Vietnam data center plan

Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42 is leading an overseas push with plans to develop data centers and cloud computing services in Vietnam, marking another step in the United Arab Emirates’ drive to position itself as a global hub for advanced digital infrastructure.

G42 said it has partnered with Vietnam’s FPT Corp. and the Viet Thai Group on a project that includes commitments of up to $1 billion to build three data centers in the Southeast Asian country. The agreement was signed in Ho Chi Minh City, according to a joint statement released Monday. While the consortium outlined “consumption commitments” totaling up to $1 billion, it did not disclose a construction timeline, the scale of computing capacity, or a detailed investment breakdown.

The Vietnam initiative reflects G42’s broader strategy to expand beyond the Gulf while leveraging capital and expertise developed in the UAE. Backed by sovereign wealth and Microsoft, the Abu Dhabi conglomerate spans sectors ranging from health care and cloud services to artificial intelligence infrastructure. It is also the primary developer of OpenAI’s Stargate infrastructure project in the UAE, part of a planned 5-gigawatt data center complex that underlines the country’s ambitions to lead in AI deployment.

Southeast Asia has become a focal point for global investment in digital infrastructure as demand for AI computing surges. In Vietnam, FPT has emerged as a central player in national AI ambitions. The partnership with G42 aligns local expertise with the UAE firm’s international expansion agenda, which already includes data center and “smart city” projects across Africa and Asia.

At the World Economic Forum in January, G42 also unveiled its “Digital Embassies” framework, an initiative designed to enable foreign partners to manage computing services while retaining legal control over data and AI models processed in the UAE, reinforcing the country’s role as a trusted international technology hub.