AI: US wants UAE to break partnership with China, join them instead in AI race

The US is trying to get UAE to collaborate with American tech companies and distance itself from China in its technological collaborations especially when it comes to AI. As a result, several American tech companies like Microsoft, OpenAI etc are investing heavily in the region.

The Biden administration is actively exploring a partnership between US tech companies and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ongoing artificial intelligence race to gain an advantage over China in a race to develop the technology.

In fact, it is actively trying to get the UAE to ditch China as it AI partner and join them instead.

This week, Microsoft made headlines by announcing a substantial $1.5 billion investment in G42, an AI company based in Abu Dhabi chaired by influential Emirati royal Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The deal marks a significant move in its strategic alliance with the UAE.

Sources familiar with the discussions reveal that the deal was facilitated by the US government through a series of meetings over the past year, involving prominent American tech firms like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI, among others.

These efforts are part of Washington’s broader strategy to maintain leadership in AI technology, particularly in competition with China.

Key figures involved in the negotiations include Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Sheikh Tahnoon, who oversees both G42 and Abu Dhabi’s largest sovereign wealth fund.

The partnership between US tech companies and Abu Dhabi reflects the intersection of commercial interests with national strategic and security considerations.

Abu Dhabi’s aspirations in AI are fueled by its ambitions to leverage its considerable wealth and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Initiatives like the MGX fund dedicated to AI investments and substantial funding for research and development demonstrate the Emirate’s commitment to AI innovation.

14 August 2025

SPAIN: Binance and BBVA team up to maintain cryptocurrencies off the exchange

Binance has inked a partnership with Spain’s BBVA which enables customers to store their cryptocurrency assets off the exchange, marking a significant shift in how digital assets are safeguarded.

Read More
7 June 2024

CARIBBEAN: Saint Lucia joins four Caribbean CBI nations to sign MOA, announces new changes in CIP

Castries, Saint Lucia: In a historic move, the government of Saint Lucia has decided to sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which was already signed by other four CBI jurisdictions in OECS in March.

Read More
21 February 2025

LUXEMBOURG: Restricted access to the Register of Beneficial Owners — a shift toward confidentiality

On 27 January 2025, the law deriving from draft Bill No. 7961 (“Law“) introducing significant changes to the laws governing the Register of Beneficial Owners (Registre des Bénéficiaires Effectifs

Read More
18 April 2025

SPAIN: The End of the Golden Visa Program

Spain is now taking a different track with its housing woes. The Spanish government has just ended the Golden Visa Program—a program that once let non-EU citizens win residency simply by splashing

Read More