The US has quietly approved the sale of advanced Nvidia chips to G42, the UAE’s flagship company in its drive to become a global leader in artificial intelligence, according to recent media reports. Although this approval was granted earlier this year, it had remained unreported until now.
This move marks a significant milestone for the UAE’s tech ambitions and the Gulf region as a whole, which is increasingly positioning itself as a global tech hub. However, the Biden administration harbors concerns about potential security risks.
The UAE’s efforts to lead in AI have been in progress for years. Long before ChatGPT brought AI into the global spotlight and sparked a surge in demand for Nvidia’s top-tier chips, the UAE had been steadily investing in AI leadership. The country has also made long-term investments in securing sensitive data, removing older data centre components with Chinese ties, even if they were inactive.
Earlier this year, G42 and Microsoft announced a $1.5 billion strategic investment by the tech giant in the Emirati firm. The deal aims to promote the responsible sharing of secure AI technologies and cloud capabilities worldwide.
This investment made headlines globally and will deepen the partnership between the companies, bringing cutting-edge Microsoft AI technologies and training programs to the UAE and other regions. Microsoft President Brad Smith has also joined G42’s board of directors.
Behind the scenes, G42 has been working to develop highly secure data centres, robust enough to meet the stringent requirements of the US Department of Defence.
As the UAE continues to build some of the world’s largest data centres, potentially powered by nuclear energy, it further unlocks the nation’s potential to lead in the evolving tech landscape.
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