Alibaba Cloud Launches Second Data Center in Dubai

- Alibaba Cloud Launches Second Data Center in Dubai to Accelerate AI-powered Digitalization in the Middle East
-  Global cloud leader supports customers and partners including Wio Bank, ACCUMED, BYOND Asia, The Game Company, and Atos to achieve business growth in the Age of AI 

Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, officially announced the launch of its second data center in Dubai at GITEX Global 2025. Responding to the growing demand for cloud computing and AI services from local businesses, the move marks a new milestone since Alibaba Cloud’s foray into the region in 2016 with its first data center in Dubai. 

The launch, as part of Alibaba’s previously announced investment plan of RMB 380 billion (US$ 53 billion) in AI and cloud infrastructure over the next three years, underscores the company’s commitment to supporting enterprises in the region and beyond to thrive through implementing its scalable, robust and secure cloud infrastructure and AI technologies.

With the establishment of its new data center, Alibaba Cloud expands its product portfolio to include enhanced cloud native and AI solutions, as well as big data, database, elastic computing, storage, and network offerings to better support the growing business demand from local customers for AI and cloud adoption. Projected to achieve significant improvements in cloud resilience and network performance, the move is expected to ensure increased availability and disaster recovery of Alibaba Cloud’s core cloud products.

Eric Wan, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud International and General Manager of the Middle East, Turkey, and Middle Asia at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said: “Launching a new data center in Dubai as well as announcing innovative collaborations at GITEX Global 2025 are important signposts on our robust journey of expansion in the region. The Middle East’s advantageous position in fast-tracking AI adoption and its collaborative ecosystem are crucial enablers for private and public sector companies to thrive. We look forward to enabling more local and global businesses to succeed with our robust infrastructure and advanced AI solutions in the region.”

Building a Robust Ecosystem with Customers and Partners to Thrive in the AI-powered Digital Era
Companies in the finance, healthcare, gaming, media, and Internet sectors joined forces with Alibaba Cloud during GITEX Global 2025, to benefit from its local infrastructure capabilities and worldwide tech leadership, speeding AI deployment and business growth.

-  Wio Bank,  the Middle East’s leading digital financial platform, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alibaba Cloud to accelerate innovation across cloud computing, AI, and fintech. The strategic collaboration strengthens Wio Bank’s multi-cloud strategy and fast-tracks the adoption of generative AI, by leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s advanced Qwen large language model, Platform for AI (PAI), and agentic platforms. Together the companies will co-create AI-powered banking agents to enhance operations and elevate customer service- securely hosted on Alibaba Cloud’s data centers in Dubai – for greater scalability, efficiency, and speed to market.

“This partnership reflects our continued commitment to delivering smarter, faster, and more secure solutions for our customers,” said Jayesh Patel, CEO of Wio Bank PJSC. “AI is a key pillar of our vision for the future of banking, and by scaling our capabilities with Alibaba Cloud’s advanced technologies, we are building intelligent agents that simplify operations and empower our customers to grow, thrive, and achieve more in a safe and secure way.”

-  BYOND Asia, , a pioneering AI company specializing in hyper-realistic, real-time conversational digital humans, has signed an MoU with Alibaba Cloud to accelerate the deployment of its patented HoloMe digital human solution across the Middle East and global markets. Through this collaboration, BYOND Asia will leverage Alibaba Cloud’s Large Language Model (Qwen) and its Model Studio AI development platform to enhance the intelligence and localization of its HoloMe avatars — starting with Arabic-first digital humans tailored for Middle Eastern enterprises and public sectors. 

The collaboration also includes migrating BYOND’s HoloMe cloud services to Alibaba Cloud’s local and global infrastructure, boosting performance, scalability, and compliance across regions. The two entities will co-develop industry-specific digital avatar solutions spanning entertainment, retail, media, education, and public sector services. To accelerate market reach, BYOND Asia and Alibaba Cloud will also jointly execute go-to-market initiatives, leveraging Alibaba Cloud’s ecosystem partners, marketplace exposure, and regional sales networks to support BYOND’s worldwide expansion and long-term vision for next-generation digital engagement.

“Our collaboration with Alibaba Cloud takes HoloMe to the next frontier — delivering hyper-realistic, Arabic-first digital humans at global scale,” said Fred Chong, Founder and Group CEO of BYOND Asia. “Alibaba Cloud’s powerful AI infrastructure and international footprint allow us to deploy faster, scale cost-effectively, and comply with applicable data laws. Together, we are redefining the future of digital interaction — where every customer, citizen, or student can connect with an intelligent digital human anytime, anywhere.”

-  ACCUMED, , the Middle East’s first and largest end-to-end revenue cycle management (RCM) provider for healthcare sector, announced comprehensive collaborations with Alibaba Cloud and its local technology partner OneCloud. ACCUMED has migrated and scaled core workloads on Alibaba Cloud’s global infrastructure—leveraging elastic compute, mature networking, and multi‑region disaster recovery technologies while adopting Alibaba’s advanced large language model Qwen to develop an AI agent for eClaims, medical coding, and customer support. The parties will also explore listing ACCUMED’s solutions on the Alibaba Cloud Marketplace and pursue joint go-to-market and co-marketing initiatives to accelerate regional and global growth.

"This collaboration with Alibaba Cloud and OneCloud marks a pivotal moment for ACCUMED and the future of healthcare RCM in the Middle East. By leveraging Alibaba Cloud's robust infrastructure and the power of its Qwen AI model, we are poised to deliver unprecedented levels of efficiency, accuracy, and innovation to our clients, ultimately transforming the patient experience and streamlining healthcare operations." Said Dr. Ayham Refaat, Founder and CEO of ACCUMED Group.

- The Game Company, , an AI‑enhanced cloud gaming platform, has announced its collaboration with Alibaba Cloud to power its AI‑native gaming service in a scalable and efficient way. Alibaba Cloud’s low latency network, scalable and robust infrastructure, mature compute and database services, as well as its extensive global footprint empower The Game Company to host top tier gaming services and deliver a console‑grade experience on any device without the need for high-end hardware. The collaboration also supports The Game Company’s vision to lay the foundation for a future Gaming‑as‑a‑Service offering powered by Alibaba Cloud.

“Alibaba Cloud gives us the low‑latency network, high‑performance infrastructure, and global reach our players demand,” said Bilal Asghar, Chief Partnership Officer & Co-founder of The Game Company. “With their proven gaming infrastructure and extensive presence in our target markets, we can scale faster, minimize friction for users, and accelerate innovation across AI, Web3, and esports—bringing a premium gaming experience to any screen.”

-  Atos,  a global leader in digital transformation, and Alibaba Cloud announced an expanded reseller partnership for the Middle East. Through the collaboration, Atos becomes a Reseller Partner for Alibaba Cloud, bringing Alibaba Cloud’s full portfolio of cloud infrastructure, AI models and advanced technologies to enterprise customers in the Middle East as well as Asia Pacific. This offering is further enhanced by Atos’s extensive expertise in cloud migration, managed services, AI and industry-specific digital transformation, enabling organizations to accelerate their journey to the cloud and drive innovation."

Alibaba Cloud has been a leading provider of cloud services to local private companies and public institutions in the UAE and the wider Middle East region since 2016. The company boasts a robust local ecosystem in the Middle East region with customers spanning the banking, financial services and insurance, media and public sector, as well as local partners across different sectors.