International shopping continues ecosystem aimed at strengthening itself in artificial intelligence. After the 2,9 billion dollars (in two years) invested in Japan, the Redmond giant turns its gaze on UAE, investing $1,5 billion in G42, the leading AI company in the Persian Gulf country, with the aim of reducing its independence from China.
Microsoft invests 1,5 million in the United Arab Emirates
The agreement has been developed in consultation with governments of the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Under the partnership, G42 will operate its AI applications and services on the platform Azure cloud computing from Microsoft, to provide advanced artificial intelligence solutions to global public sector and large enterprise customers.
As expected the Microsoft president Brad Smith he will join the board of directors of G42 which will use the US company's Azure cloud for its artificial intelligence applications.
“Microsoft has received strong encouragement from the U.S. government to move forward with this process,” Smith said. “This reflects the U.S. government's recognition of the importance of the relationship between the two countries and the importance of continuing to encourage responsible companies like G42 and Microsoft to truly lead the way, not just in technology itself, but also with regards to safety and security standards and responsible AI globally.”
The investment gives Microsoft a minority stake in G42, Xiao said, adding that Microsoft and G42 will also create a $1 billion fund for developers.
In a later phase of the agreement, Microsoft will host some of its own applications in G42's data centers and use the relationship as a means to reach customers in Africa and Central Asia, Smith said. “Today there are markets where Microsoft and no American technology company have a real presence in data centers. This is the kind of partnership that can really bring cloud and AI to the global south probably a decade earlier than would otherwise be the case,” he said.
“Our two companies will work together not only in the United Arab Emirates, but also to bring AI and digital infrastructure and services to underserved nations,” said Brad Smith, vice president and president of Microsoft. “We will combine world-class technology with world-leading standards for safe, trustworthy and responsible AI, in close coordination with the UAE and US governments.”
The partnership comes in the context of Washington's efforts to ohinder Beijing's technological progress, after the United States placed four Chinese companies on an export blacklist for trying to buy artificial intelligence chips for the Chinese military.
