OpenAI Building a Custom ChatGPT for the UAE Government

OpenAI Tailors ChatGPT for the UAE

OpenAI is developing a government-specific version of ChatGPT for the United Arab Emirates, in partnership with Abu Dhabi-based technology conglomerate G42. The project would mark one of the first truly localised implementations of the world's most popular AI chatbot.

What Makes It Different

Rather than retraining an entirely new model, OpenAI is using fine-tuning techniques to adapt the existing ChatGPT through post-training modifications. The customised version would be fluent in regional Arabic dialects and may incorporate content filters aligned with UAE law. The global version of ChatGPT would remain available in the country, but users would be notified when content triggers local restrictions.

The Political Dimension

According to sources familiar with the project, the UAE government has expressed interest in having the chatbot reflect political positions consistent with the monarchy's outlook. This raises significant questions about how AI companies will navigate government demands for content alignment as they expand into markets with different political systems and speech norms.

G42 and the Bigger Picture

G42, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President's brother and National Security Advisor, has become central to the country's AI ambitions. The two companies formalised their partnership in late 2023, and the relationship has deepened considerably since. In May 2025, they announced Stargate UAE, a massive data centre in Abu Dhabi capable of delivering up to one gigawatt of computing power, now under construction and expected to begin operations in 2026.

Deep Financial Ties

The UAE's financial stake in OpenAI has grown substantially. In October 2025, Abu Dhabi's MGX, a sovereign AI investment platform founded by Mubadala and G42, participated in a six point six billion dollar share sale that valued OpenAI at roughly five hundred billion dollars. MGX is also an investor in Stargate, the planned one hundred billion dollar network of US data centres being developed by OpenAI and SoftBank. The deal signals that AI localisation is not just a technical challenge but a deeply strategic and financial one.