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Home Posts The UAE’s AI Diplomacy

The UAE’s AI Diplomacy
Ilan Zalayat, Yoel Guzansky 20 January, 2025

Shortly after the visit of Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to the UAE, an Emirati AI research institute announced the opening of a branch in Haifa. Simultaneously, Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani declared a $20 billion investment in establishing AI development centers in the United States.

The UAE seeks to diversify its economy, which remains largely reliant on oil revenues, and establish itself as a technological powerhouse. Within this framework, the federation has identified AI as a central focus. The UAE is already an emerging global power in AI, having invested significant resources in the field, including the establishment of a dedicated government ministry, an AI university, and the recruitment of top global talent.

The institute that will open a branch in Israel launched its Falcon language model last year, which rivals ChatGPT in its capabilities. This success has raised concerns in the West, primarily due to the UAE’s close ties with Chinese companies and its flexibility, compared to Western nations, in using citizens’ data for AI training.

A notable example of this concern is the relationship between the Emirati company G42, owned by Tahnoon bin Zayed, the influential brother of the UAE president and the richest man in the federation, and Chinese firms. There are fears that these ties could facilitate the transfer of American technology and data on US citizens to China. Under American pressure, G42 severed most of its ties with Chinese companies last year, replacing them with Microsoft. This move aimed to improve strained relations with the United States, culminating in a meeting between Presidents Biden and bin Zayed, where they signed a memorandum of understanding on AI.

Similarly, the UAE’s recent willingness to invest in AI in the United States, creating numerous high-paying jobs, can be seen as a gesture to President Trump. This effort aims to secure access to resources previously withheld due to concerns over ties with China, such as F-35 fighter jets.

Israel has a vested interest in strengthening ties between the UAE and the United States, particularly in technological cooperation, as a means of reinforcing the Abraham Accords. At the same time, these developments require caution and oversight to prevent sensitive technologies and data from falling into the hands of China or Iran.

Topics: Advanced Technologies and National Security, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
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  • Research

    • Topics
      • Israel and the Global Powers
      • Israel-United States Relations
      • Glazer Israel-China Policy Center
      • Russia
      • Europe
      • Iran and the Shi'ite Axis
      • Iran
      • Lebanon and Hezbollah
      • Syria
      • Yemen and the Houthi Movement
      • Iraq and the Iraqi Shiite Militias
      • Conflict to Agreements
      • Israeli-Palestinian Relations
      • Hamas and the Gaza Strip
      • Peace Agreements and Normalization in the Middle East
      • Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
      • Turkey
      • Egypt
      • Jordan
      • Israel’s National Security Policy
      • Military and Strategic Affairs
      • Societal Resilience and the Israeli Society
      • Jewish-Arab Relations in Israel
      • Climate, Infrastructure and Energy
      • Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict
      • Cross-Arena Research
      • Data Analytics Center
      • Law and National Security
      • Advanced Technologies and National Security
      • Cognitive Warfare
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      • Perceptions about Jews and Israel in the Arab-Muslim World and Their Impact on the West
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