Sam Altman Signs Abu Dhabi Deals as OpenAI Seeks $20 Billion

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman met Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as the company signed deals across energy, investment and government in the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Monday, CNBC reports. OpenAI is seeking to raise $20 billion in a new funding round co-led by investors from the UAE. The Middle East has become a key source of capital for the AI labs: MGX, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, co-led Anthropic's $30 billion raise in February and OpenAI's $122 billion raise in March. The region has also drawn US big tech companies building huge data centers, although the ongoing conflict there has tested that appeal. For the people at the top of the AI race, the money now often comes from the Gulf.