Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), a leading UAE telecom provider, is gearing up to offer a suite of cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services specifically designed for government and public sector entities. This move signifies a significant shift towards "sovereign AI" for the UAE, prioritizing local control and compliance over global cloud giants.
Du will leverage Oracle Alloy, a platform that empowers partners to become cloud providers. This partnership allows du to offer over 100 Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services alongside its own value-added services and applications. This comprehensive suite will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the UAE government and public sector, ensuring adherence to stringent local regulations.
Sovereign AI, a key component of du's offering, addresses the growing concern of data privacy and security within government agencies. By keeping data and AI workloads within the UAE, du assures stricter control over information and minimizes potential security risks associated with international cloud storage. This focus on data sovereignty aligns with the UAE's national digital transformation strategy, which prioritizes secure and reliable technology infrastructure.
The new services will be available primarily in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Du's established customer network and local expertise position them well to assist government entities in migrating their systems to the cloud seamlessly. This transition promises to unlock the benefits of hyperscale cloud computing, including enhanced processing power, scalability, and flexibility – all crucial factors for efficient government operations.
Industry experts believe this move by du paves the way for other regional players to follow suit. The growing demand for cloud and AI solutions, coupled with the increasing focus on data sovereignty, is creating fertile ground for the emergence of local cloud providers catering specifically to government and public sector needs. This trend could potentially reshape the cloud landscape within the region, offering governments greater control over their data and fostering innovation within the local tech sector.