Microsoft Sets Sights on Gulf Cloud Expansion

Microsoft has announced plans to invest over $10 billion in Gulf AI and cloud expansion across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait through 2030. The tech giant aims to increase regional data flows as cloud and AI capacity grows.

The investment will cover capital and operating expenses for a range of projects, including cloud launches due this year and infrastructure work running through the end of the decade. Saudi Arabia East, Microsoft's new cloud region in the Kingdom, is scheduled to become available in November 2026 with three Azure Availability Zones.

Work with HUMAIN takes the Saudi program into enterprise AI, extending an existing partnership with the Saudi AI company. The investment also includes more than $400 million for subsea and terrestrial connectivity across the Middle East, including links to the SeaMeWe-6 cable system.