Data Center Bytes

Ayman Khaleq, a partner at Morgan Lewis, is widely recognized as one of the leading advisors on cross-border investments, digital infrastructure transactions, and securities technology–industry regulatory frameworks in the Middle East. Ayman guides institutional investors (including sovereign wealth funds), private equity investors, and regional operators as they navigate complex legal and regulatory landscapes and structure large-scale data center and tech-sector investments. His perspective offers valuable insight into how the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have become two of the most dynamic and competitive data center markets globally. His on-the-ground experience offers helpful insight into where the market is today—and where it is headed next.

The convergence of three disruptive forces—(1) migrations from on-premises data centers to the cloud, (2) the increased focus on connected device and digital solutions, and (3) the explosive rise of generative AI—has resulted in a race to finance, design, build, power, and operate data centers to support them. This growing demand for data centers is prompting significant regulatory, operational, and infrastructure developments throughout the world, including recent initiatives and investments in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East that underscore this growing momentum.

We are closely following the recent announcement by France and the UAE regarding their €30 billion–€50 billion investment to build Europe’s largest AI data center in France with up to 1 gigawatt of capacity. The announcement underscores a broader AI agreement between the two nations, aiming to boost the AI infrastructure and technology of both. This project aligns with broader European efforts to strengthen AI capabilities and compete globally, supported by substantial private and public investments.