Exploring impact of Microsoft-G42 deal on global technology landscape

Last month, G42, UAE’s leading AI technology holding company, and Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion strategic investment by Microsoft in G42. This deal aims to ensure the global, responsible sharing of secure AI technologies and cloud capabilities.

The investment will strengthen the collaboration between the two companies, bringing the latest Microsoft AI technologies and skilling initiatives to the UAE and beyond. Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, has joined the G42 Board of Directors.

The significant Microsoft-G42 partnership has garnered global attention. Smith recently mentioned that this high-profile agreement could eventually involve the transfer of advanced chips and tools.

Providing Security Assurances to Home Governments

In an interview with Reuters, Smith stated that the sales accord might progress to a second phase, which includes exporting vital AI technology components like “model weights” – essential elements defining an AI model’s ability to respond to questions or prompts.

The next steps require approval from the US Department of Commerce. Microsoft executives have assured that the agreement includes safeguards to protect the company’s technology from being used by Chinese entities to train AI systems. However, these measures have not been publicly disclosed, causing some US policymakers to question their adequacy. The confidential nature of negotiations between the private companies over the terms of technology transfers has also raised concerns.

The Microsoft-G42 agreement necessitates each company to provide security assurances to their respective home governments. However, there is no direct agreement between the US and the UAE governing the transfer of sensitive technologies.

The overarching goal of the deal is for Microsoft and G42 to jointly deploy AI technology in regions where neither could operate as effectively alone. An early example of this is a recent deal in Kenya.

Both companies have announced a comprehensive package of digital investments in Kenya. In collaboration with Microsoft and other stakeholders, G42 will lead an initial investment of $1 billion for the various components outlined in the package.

One priority is the construction of a green data center by G42 and its partners to run Microsoft Azure in an East Africa Cloud Region. The data center will operate entirely on renewable geothermal energy and incorporate state-of-the-art water conservation technology.