UAE President Pushes for Enhanced US AI Technology Partnership

UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan visited the White House in Washington to foster AI cooperation between the two countries. This is Sheikh Mohamed first official trip to the United States in seven years underscoring his goal to make the UAE an AI powerhouse.

The meeting touched not only on technological issues and trade but also defense: Biden declared the UAE a ‘major defense partner’ for security cooperation as India is. This status creates a possibility for additional interaction in the form of joint military training activities.

Nonetheless, despite the designation of the UAE as one of the main American partners in the Middle East, there have been multiple tensions between the US and UAE lately mainly after the 2022 Houthi rebel attacks on Abu Dhabi where the US remained rather passive. However, AI has revived the relationship, the UAE is keen on moving from being an exporter of oil to being an importer of technology.

However, the role of AI application for diversification of the UAE economy is quite clear. However some of the UAE’s plans have been slowed down by restrictions placed by the US where exportation of new AI chips is prohibited to the Gulf states for fear of leakage to China on advanced technologies. The two presidents ordered their staffs to create a memorandum of understanding in the sphere of AI cooperation, which indicates this emerging relationship.

The UAE’s AI plans are evident by recent partnerships with some of the largest US firms. For example, Microsoft has committed $1.5bn to the UAE’s AI group G42, while Nvidia is partnering with G42 on a weather prediction project. The objectives are to entrench a “road map” that proactively outlines the nature of anticipatory AI collaboration in advance of the next US election, irrespective of which White House administration comes into power.