DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates and the United States are investing more in artificial intelligence as part of a strategic partnership, said UAE Minister of State for AI Omar Sultan Al Olama.
The UAE, led by G42 government-backed firms, is seeking to become a global leader in AI, investing heavily in it to help transition the Gulf state away from oil.
As neighboring Saudi Arabia begins to position itself as a promising hub for AI activity outside the United States, the stakes are raised.
“From our investment point of view, the United States now considers the UAE a strategic partner, and if you consider the UAE as a strategic partner, you will have more offers,” Al Olama said. An event in Dubai.
Microsoft invested $1.5 billion in G42, giving the US giant a minority stake in the board last month, allowing the two to strengthen ties.
G42 will use Microsoft cloud services to run its AI applications as part of the agreement, which was signed with security guarantees from the two companies to the US and UAE governments.
The partnership comes amid Washington’s efforts to undermine Beijing’s technology development, with the US adding four Chinese companies to an export blacklist for buying AI chips for China’s military.
When asked about the isolation of Chinese technology companies by the UAE, Al Olama said, “Government-to-government, the UAE is a neutral country and in that sense, we will be the country that allows the UAE to trade globally.”
Having a diverse energy mix, such as nuclear power, is important to attract AI investment to the small Gulf region, he said.
“That’s why we have talked with the relevant parties about [a small modular nuclear reactor],” he said, but there are no concrete plans yet.
