Key Highlights –
- G42, an Abu Dhabi-based AI firm, has received authorization from the U.S. government to import advanced AI semiconductors, including the equivalent of up to 35,000 Nvidia Blackwell chips (GB300s).
- The approval is contingent on G42 meeting “rigorous security and reporting requirements” under a new compliance framework to prevent the diversion of sensitive U.S. technology to China.
- This milestone accelerates the deployment of the UAE–U.S. AI corridor, which includes the Stargate UAE project—a large AI compute cluster being built for partners like OpenAI, Oracle, and Nvidia.
ABU DHABI, UAE — The U.S. government has authorized the export of advanced American AI semiconductors to G42, the Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence firm. The decision marks a significant step in the UAE-U.S. technology partnership, allowing G42 to purchase and deploy massive quantities of cutting-edge chips for its regional AI infrastructure.
The authorization, announced by the U.S. Commerce Department, permits G42 to acquire advanced AI chips with the computing power equivalent to up to 35,000 Nvidia Blackwell GB300 processors. This approval is a major boost for the UAE’s ambitions to become a global AI hub and follows months of negotiations focused on national security and China-related risks. A similar approval was also granted to Humain, a Saudi government-backed AI venture.
Security Framework Enables Full-Scale Deployment
The chip export deal is contingent on G42 and its partners meeting “rigorous security and reporting requirements.” This condition falls under the umbrella of a broader bilateral agreement and a new compliance framework pioneered by G42 known as the Regulated Technology Environment (RTE). The RTE framework was developed and approved under the guidelines of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).
The security requirements are designed to prevent the diversion of sensitive U.S. technology to foreign adversary nations. G42 previously promised to divest from Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies Co. and strip out its technology, a commitment that helped clear the way for its $1.5 billion partnership with Microsoft Corp. in 2024. The licensing ensures the secure global diffusion of American technology while enabling the UAE to move from the planning to the full-scale deployment phase of its massive AI projects.
Accelerating the UAE–U.S. AI Corridor
The White House’s decision accelerates key foundational projects already underway in the UAE, which are central to the new UAE–U.S. AI corridor.
A major component of this collaboration is Stargate UAE, a massive 1-gigawatt AI compute cluster being built by G42. The project is designed to deliver compute capacity for major U.S. technology partners, including OpenAI, Oracle, Cisco, and Nvidia. The Stargate UAE cluster is part of a larger 5-gigawatt UAE–U.S. AI Campus infrastructure hub aimed at providing low-latency inferencing for the wider region.
Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, stated that the announcement marks a defining moment for G42 and its partners, transitioning from planning to execution. He emphasized that the secure, high-performance compute model being built in the UAE will be mirrored in the U.S., maintaining a strong sense of symmetry and trust between the two nations.
