Abu Dhabi’s TII, NVIDIA launch Middle East’s first AI, robotics joint lab

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The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research arm of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and NVIDIA, the global leader in accelerated computing and artificial intelligence (AI), have launched the Middle East’s first joint laboratory dedicated to AI and robotics.

The TII-NVAITC (NVIDIA AI Technology Centre) Joint Lab for AI and Robotics aims to develop next-generation AI models, robotics platforms, and humanoid technologies, with the goal of accelerating innovation across multiple industries.

The agreement was signed at TII’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

“This collaboration with NVIDIA marks a major step toward building AI-enhanced robotic systems capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting in complex environments,” Dr Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII. She added that combining TII’s robotic platforms with AI models and accelerated computing would accelerate the convergence of perception, control, and language, laying the foundation for intelligent machines.

The lab will integrate NVIDIA’s accelerated computing platforms with TII’s multidisciplinary research in AI, robotics, autonomous systems, and high-performance computing.

It will be the first NVIDIA AI Technology Centre lab in the Middle East, with research spanning robotic learning and control at scale, large language models including TII’s Falcon AI models, and hardware for real-time robotic systems.

Carlo Ruiz, VP – Enterprise Solutions & Operations EMEA at NVIDIA, said the lab expands the scope of NVIDIA’s global AI Technology Centre network into robotics for the Middle East, helping researchers accelerate breakthroughs in intelligent systems.

The lab will support TII’s open innovation strategy

The initiative aligns with Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy to advance technological sovereignty and the UAE’s wider ambition to establish itself as a global AI and robotics hub.

The lab will also support TII’s open innovation strategy, including joint research, open-source initiatives, and cross-network learning through the global NVAITC community.

TII’s existing modular robotic platforms, including robotic arms and delivery robots, will provide a foundation for research focused on technical excellence and practical readiness.