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 billi...