Export Controls Stymie UAE AI Plans - Microsoft

The UAE's ambition to become a world leader in artificial intelligence, funded and endorsed by both Chinese and US tech interests, are constrained by  Washington's export controls, according to one of the effort's principal American sponsors.

“We all need clarity and consistency from the US government in terms of the specifics of the export control regime," Brad Smith, President of Microsoft told the Financial Times.

Abu Dhabi's G42 initiative, which counts Microsoft, OpenAT, and Silver Lake Partners among investors has made efforts to downplay its longstanding association with Chinese networking suppliers like Huawei.   

"The impression we are getting from the US Government and US partners is, we need to be very cautious,"  G42 Chief Executive Peng Xiao told the FT in December.