The lawmakers’ letter to national security adviser Jake Sullivan highlighted the need for stricter regulations to mitigate the risks of sensitive technologies falling into the wrong hands. They cited G42’s extensive business relationships with Chinese companies, including those linked to the military, and its historical ties to Emirati cybersecurity firm DarkMatter, which has previously been investigated for cyber security activities. espionage.
“The agreement merits continued review to ensure that our strategic and national security interests are protected,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter at the time. They also highlighted the deepening cooperation between the UAE and China on AI, marked by the recent visit of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Beijing.
Conditional approval
Despite these concerns, the US government approved the export license in September, under stricter conditions. The new rule introduces the “Validated End User” (VEU) program, allowing foreign data centers to receive AI chips like those produced by Nvidia under a general authorization, thus avoiding the need for American companies to apply for licenses. individual exports.
Approval of the Microsoft-G42 deal prohibits individuals from Group D:5 countries — those subject to the U.S. arms embargo, including China — from accessing the chips or the facility, the statement said. report citing sources close to the matter.
Additional safeguards require Microsoft to prevent the chips from being used for training AI models by personnel associated with the Chinese government or organizations headquartered in China. Individuals on the Treasury Department’s sanctions list are also not allowed to participate, the report added.
The chips, which would come from a leading manufacturer such as Nvidia, will play a vital role in Microsoft and G42’s initiatives, including the development of advanced AI models. G42 is already leveraging U.S. data centers to train Jais, its major-language Arabic-English bilingual model, in partnership with AI chipmaker Cerebras.