The Gulf’s AI Boom Has an Undersea Cable Problem
The Gulf region's ambitions in artificial intelligence are increasingly threatened by its reliance on a limited number of undersea cables. As countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE invest heavily in AI infrastructure, the geopolitical risks associated with these cables have come to the forefront. Experts warn that disruptions could severely impact the Gulf's emerging AI economy, necessitating a reevaluation of connectivity strategies.
- ▪Undersea cables are critical for the Gulf's internet infrastructure, carrying 95 percent of international data traffic.
- ▪Recent geopolitical tensions have raised concerns about the security of these cables, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.
- ▪Hyperscale companies are demanding more resilient and diverse connectivity options to support their AI operations in the region.
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| Original publisher | WIRED |
| Canonical URL | https://www.wired.com/story/the-gulfs-ai-boom-has-an-undersea-cable-problem/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 22 May 2026 09:00:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-22T09:07:01.166Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-22T09:07:01.166Z |
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Chris Hamill-StewartBusinessMay 22, 2026 5:00 AMThe Gulf’s AI Boom Has an Undersea Cable ProblemHyperscalers are pushing the Gulf to rethink internet infrastructure as AI raises the stakes of cable disruptions.Play/Pause ButtonPauseILLUSTRATION: WIRED MIDDLE EAST STAFFCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyThe Gulf’s AI ambitions depend on something surprisingly fragile: a handful of undersea cables running through some of the world’s most volatile waterways.Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE have spent billions building AI infrastructure, attracting hyperscalers and positioning themselves as future exporters of compute capacity.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at WIRED.
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