Doha, December 09 (QNA) - Brookfield and Qai, Qatar's AI company and a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), on Tuesday announced a strategic partnership to establish a USD20 billion joint venture focused on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Qatar and select international markets.

Under the partnership, Brookfield and Qai will contribute capital and operational expertise to invest in AI infrastructure in Qatar, including the development of fully integrated AI facilities, to support the country's rapidly expanding digital and AI ecosystem, QIA highlighted in a statement.

  The partnership will benefit from strategic support from the Government of Qatar to invest in the skills and supply chain necessary to support the backbone of AI infrastructure and to promote the adoption of AI throughout the country.

The USD20 billion joint venture is expected to play a central role in supporting Qatar's ambition to become a leading hub for AI services and infrastructure in the Middle East.

An Integrated Compute center will expand regional access to high-performance computing and enable the deployment of trusted AI technologies across key sectors. Beyond Qatar, Brookfield and Qai will explore opportunities to co-develop and construct AI infrastructure in select international markets.

Brookfield and its partners plan to invest in this venture through the recently launched Brookfield Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Fund (BAIIF). The strategic partnership with Qai will form a cornerstone of Brookfield's global AI infrastructure program, which aims to mobilize up to USD100 billion of total investment globally.

CEO of QIA, Mohammed Saif Al Sowaidi, said: "QIA has been at the forefront of driving advancement through our AI investments. This joint venture is a testament to QIA's commitment to delivering both local and global impact. Leveraging the long-term partnership we have with Brookfield, this joint venture will advance Qatar's National Vision 2030 and help build a diversified, innovation-based economy for future generations".

  Chairman of Qai, Abdulla Al Misnad, said: "This partnership with Brookfield marks an important milestone in Qatar's journey to build world-class AI infrastructure and capabilities. By leveraging Brookfield's expertise in developing and managing critical infrastructure alongside Qai's mission to deliver trusted AI solutions, we are creating a robust platform to drive responsible AI adoption. This collaboration will not only attract investment and top-tier talent but also strengthen Qatar's position as a trusted hub for advanced digital technologies in the region and beyond".

CEO of Brookfield, Bruce Flatt, commented: "We are thrilled to support Qatar in establishing this investment in next-generation AI and digital infrastructure alongside Qai. As our inaugural AI infrastructure investment in the Middle East, this partnership combines Qatar's strategic vision with Brookfield's global expertise in developing and operating large-scale, mission-critical infrastructure with global partners. Together, we look forward to building an integrated AI ecosystem that will accelerate innovation, deepen regional capability, and support the responsible deployment of advanced AI technologies across the Middle East". (QNA)