$1.3T empire controlled by Tahnoon
Sheikh Tahnoon oversees a more than $1.3 trillion empire spanning fish farms, AI, and surveillance, backed by personal and state money.
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Who Is the Spy Sheikh? Tahnoon's $1.3 Trillion Empire and AI Ambitions
At 6:27 · chapter starts 5:58
Jessica Mendoza describes the UAE as a tiny but extraordinarily wealthy nation gearing up for a post-oil future, with Sheikh Tahnoon as the architect of its AI ambitions. Rebecca Ballhaus paints a vivid portrait of the man: he oversees a more than $1.3 trillion empire spanning fish farms, AI, and surveillance companies; he is almost never seen without dark sunglasses due to an eye condition; he rarely gives interviews; and he has earned the nickname 'Spy Sheikh' for his role as the country's national security advisor. His brother, the UAE president, has given him a specific mission — make the UAE a world leader in AI. To achieve it, Tahnoon needs access to US-made AI chips, which are considered the most advanced in the world. He envisions a data center cluster so large it would require the energy of two Hoover Dams.
Who Is the Spy Sheikh?
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed is the UAE president's brother, national security advisor, and controller of a $1.3 trillion empire spanning fish farms to AI to surveillance. Almost never seen without dark sunglasses due to an eye condition, he is known as the Spy Sheikh — and his grand ambition is to make the UAE an AI superpower.
Energy of 2 Hoover Dams needed for UAE AI project
Tahnoon's ambition is to build one of the world's biggest AI data center clusters, a project so large it would require the energy equivalent of two Hoover Dams.
Biden Said No — So Tahnoon Went Around Him
Under Biden, the UAE was limited to a small allocation of US AI chips amid concerns about Tahnoon's companies' ties to China. When Trump won, Tahnoon saw his opening and launched an aggressive campaign to win over the new administration — starting with buying into the Trump family's crypto company.
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