Dubai is building the region’s data-center economy by design, not brute force, JLL’s Data Center Lead Priyanka Nagpal said on Live, Work & Play in Dubai (watch, runtime: 30:00). Rather than chasing headline MWs, the emirate is prioritizing connectivity, government regulation, and infrastructure that can support cross-border data flows as AI scales and data-localization rules tighten.

Geography is the edge: Dubai’s dense web of submarine cable landing stations linking Europe, Africa, and Asia has turned it into what Nagpal called a “digital bridge,” allowing operators to serve multiple jurisdictions without sacrificing latency, and positioning Dubai as a key driver of regional growth.

PLUS- When AI rewrites the plumbing, Dubai adapts: Power-hungry workloads are pushing higher rack densities and forcing new approaches to cooling and efficiency, widening the field beyond hyperscalers, Nagpal said. Renewables are part of the emirate’s pitch, anchored by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, now in its seventh phase.

Background-

Background: Dubai’s design-first strategy is already translating into concrete buildout. UAE data-center capacity is forecast to jump 165% by 2028, according to previous Emirates NBD research. Recent moves we’ve covered include:

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