Emirates NBD runs OpenAI GPT models on UAE servers
Emirates NBD announced it will run OpenAI's GPT models on servers located in the United Arab Emirates, becoming the first bank in the MENA region to use in‑country inference. The move is intended to keep prompts and data within the country, helping the bank satisfy local data‑residency, privacy and operational‑resilience rules. The bank plans to apply the models in four areas – customer…
Key points
- Emirates NBD will run OpenAI's GPT models on in‑country servers, the first MENA bank to do so.
- The bank plans to use the models for customer engagement, risk/compliance analytics, workflow automation, and employee productivity.
- Deployment aims to meet UAE data residency rules and aligns with the National AI Strategy 2031; 97% of transactions already digital.
OpenAI will supply the models, tools and the UAE‑based inference infrastructure. The deployment aligns with the UAE's National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and reflects a broader push for sovereign AI capabilities under local regulatory control. Miguel Rio‑Tinto, Emirates NBD’s Group Chief Digital and Information Officer, said AI is a core capability for the bank, while Farouk El Hamzawi, Head of Enterprise at OpenAI MENA, framed the effort as a benchmark for secure AI use in finance. The release gives no timeline or cost details, and the bank notes that 97% of its transactions already occur digitally.
Emirates NBD to Run OpenAI's GPT Models on UAE-Based Infrastructure, a First for a MENA Bank
me.pcmag.com · 19 October 2026
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