UAE Allies with US in AI Race, Cutting China Ties for Tech Supremacy

UAE’s AI ambitions align with the US as part of global tech race: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is positioning itself as a key player in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race, with its first AI minister, Omar Al Olama, leading efforts to make the country an AI leader by 2031:

• The UAE’s strategic alignment with the US was recently highlighted by Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment in the Abu Dhabi-based AI group G42, a deal motivated by the Biden administration’s desire to limit China’s influence in the region.
• Olama emphasized the UAE’s commitment to working with the US on AI development, stating, “I think the UAE and the US really see eye to eye with regards to how these technologies are pushed forward.”

Balancing relations and cutting ties: As part of the deal with Microsoft, G42 was required to cut ties with Chinese hardware suppliers like Huawei in favor of US companies, underscoring the complex geopolitical dynamics at play:

• The UAE has historically performed a balancing act in its foreign policy, cooperating with the US on issues like defense while maintaining ties with China, a key trade partner.
• However, Olama acknowledged that when it comes to certain technologies, the US “does not shy away from saying that ‘on this technology specifically you need to choose sides.'”

Investing in AI for economic diversification: The UAE sees its AI push as crucial for diversifying away from its reliance on fossil fuels, with AI potentially contributing nearly 14% of its GDP by 2030:

• Abu Dhabi’s vast oil wealth is seen as key in developing expensive AI infrastructure, giving it an edge in becoming a leading tech power.
• The UAE has laid out a national AI strategy focused on deploying AI in priority sectors, developing an ecosystem, attracting talent, and putting public officials through AI training.

Staking a claim in the AI race: The UAE has made significant strides in AI development, with the unveiling of large language models like Falcon10B and Jais, which have outperformed offerings from major tech companies:

• By making its AI models open-source, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as an ally to developing nations that lack the resources to build their own AI tools.
• Olama emphasized the UAE’s commitment to developing AI for countries that cannot do so themselves, stating, “We want to ensure that we’re able to develop it for them.”

Broader implications and challenges ahead: As the UAE continues to make rapid advancements in AI, Olama has called for a global coalition to regulate the development and use of the technology, citing concerns about potential risks:

• Olama expects deepfakes to cause a “fundamental truth crisis” and drive political instability, and he worries that AI could make it easier to create biotech weapons.
• The UAE’s alignment with the US in the AI race highlights the complex geopolitical dynamics at play, as nations compete for technological supremacy while grappling with the need for international cooperation to mitigate potential risks.