The UAE wants to lead the world in AI and is using large investments to diversify its economy away from oil. The government-backed company G42 is in charge of this effort. With this endeavour, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a global centre for artificial intelligence.
Al Olama highlighted the strategic cooperation that the US and the UAE share, implying that new cooperative agreements are bound to occur. Microsoft recently revealed a $1.5 billion investment in G42, acquiring a board seat and a minority share, allowing the two to further expand their partnership. G42 will use Microsoft’s cloud services for its artificial intelligence applications under this agreement, which comes with security guarantees for both nations.
This collaboration fits Washington’s plan for countering Beijing’s technical innovations. Four Chinese firms have been placed on a U.S. blacklist for attempting to obtain AI chips for use in military applications. Al Olama responded that the UAE is still impartial and welcoming of international trade when asked about possible divestiture from Chinese tech companies.
Al Olama also emphasised the value of nuclear energy as part of a varied energy mix in luring AI investments to the UAE. Though there have been conversations, no concrete plans have been made about small modular nuclear reactors.
