Aither debuts: Dubai Holding and Palantir introduce UAE-focused AI venture

In a move that underscores Dubai's emergence as a global AI destination, Dubai Holding — the city's diversified investment arm — and Palantir Technologies, known for its operational AI platforms, have announced a new joint venture called Aither — Palantir’s first formal venture in the UAE.

The agreement was signed in Dubai before His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Holding, and His Excellency Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs. Amit Kaushal, Group CEO of Dubai Holding, and Noam Perski, Executive Vice President at Palantir, formalised the partnership.

18 months of proven results

This initiative builds on a year-and-a-half of collaboration during which Dubai Holding embedded Palantir's AI and data tools across its businesses. The partnership reportedly sped up decision cycles, improved operational efficiency and made data more actionable across real estate, hospitality, finance and infrastructure, benefitting groups including Nakheel, Meraas and Jumeirah.

A national platform for AI excellence

Aither aims to expand these capabilities nationwide, positioning itself as a shared AI platform for both government entities and private companies. The venture seeks to help organisations adopt smarter operations and open fresh economic avenues through scalable AI solutions.

Boosting Dubai’s digital economy vision

The project dovetails with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which targets AED 100 billion in annual value from digital initiatives. By localising advanced AI, Aither plans to nurture technical skills among UAE nationals, transfer knowledge, and promote robust governance for responsible AI deployment.

Aligned with the UAE's broader goals of diversification and digital transformation, Aither represents a step toward embedding enterprise-grade AI across the region — turning tested tech into a catalyst for wider economic progress.