Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA) has announced the development of the Dubai AI Campus, a landmark AED 5 billion project that will establish the emirate as the Middle East's artificial intelligence hub. Spanning 2 million square feet, the campus will house over 100 AI companies, 5 world-class research laboratories, and train 50,000 AI professionals by 2030.
This guide covers available incentives, how companies can apply, research partnership opportunities, and the Golden Visa fast-track program for AI talent based on official DSOA announcements.
Dubai AI Campus — Regional AI Headquarters
AED 5B investment, 2M sq ft campus, 100+ AI companies, 5 research labs, 50,000 professionals trained by 2030. Applications now open for Phase 1.
Campus Facilities & Zones
The Dubai AI Campus features purpose-built facilities across five specialized zones:
AI Enterprise Zone
800,000 sq ft of Grade A office space for AI companies. Subsidized rent for startups.
Research & Innovation Hub
5 labs in partnership with MIT, Stanford, MBZUAI, and Carnegie Mellon. AED 500M research fund.
AI Compute Center
State-of-the-art GPU clusters with 10,000+ NVIDIA H100 GPUs. Subsidized compute for residents.
Talent Academy
Training facility for 10,000 students annually. Free AI certification programs for UAE nationals.
Incentives for AI Companies
DSOA has announced comprehensive incentives to attract global AI talent and companies:
- 0% Corporate Tax: 50-year tax holiday for qualifying AI companies
- Subsidized Office Space: 50% rent reduction for first 3 years
- Free Compute Credits: AED 100,000 in GPU compute for startups
- R&D Grants: Up to AED 5 million for applied AI research
- Fast-Track Licensing: 48-hour business license issuance
- 100% Foreign Ownership: No local partner requirement
Golden Visa Fast-Track for AI Talent
- 10-year Golden Visa for AI researchers with PhD or 10+ publications
- 10-year Golden Visa for AI executives with AED 30K+ monthly salary
- 5-year visa for AI engineers with 5+ years experience
- Processing time: 2 weeks (vs standard 4-6 weeks)
- Family inclusion: spouse, children, and parents
Research Partnership Universities
Five world-class institutions have committed to establishing research labs:
- MIT: AI for Climate & Sustainability Lab
- Stanford: Human-Centered AI Research Center
- Carnegie Mellon: Robotics & Autonomous Systems Lab
- MBZUAI: Arabic NLP & Computer Vision Center
- ETH Zurich: AI for Healthcare Lab
"The Dubai AI Campus will be the Silicon Valley of artificial intelligence for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region. We're creating an ecosystem where the world's best AI talent can build, research, and scale companies that will shape the future."
— HE Omar Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for AI, February 2026How to Apply
Applications are now open for Phase 1 occupancy (Q4 2026):
- AI Companies: Apply through DSOA business portal — decision in 10 working days
- Startups: Apply to AI Incubator program — 20 spots available for first cohort
- Researchers: Submit proposals through university partnership office
- Individual Talent: Register on Dubai AI Talent platform for job matching
Apply Now — Phase 1 Applications Open
Early applicants receive priority placement and additional incentives. Phase 1 spaces are limited to 25 companies. Apply through DSOA or use our Business Architect tool to compare Free Zones.
