Two new AI centers add to Microsoft AI investment in Abu Dhabi

Microsoft has long invested in artificial intelligence (AI) in many countries worldwide. Just months after investing $1.5 billion in G42, an Emirati AI group, Microsoft announced that it’s adding two new AI centers for Abu Dhabi to the mix.

One of the two new AI centers is focused on identifying best practices for the Middle East and the Global South, and the other is an expansion of Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab to address social challenges in the Middle East and Africa.

“The first center will convene academic researchers and AI practitioners from across the private sector to develop, document and share emerging Responsible AI best practices,” Microsoft says, deepening the two’s collaboration that has been going on since April this year.

The announcement came as G42 was facing scrutiny in the US due to alleged ties with Chinese firms, including Huawei, raising concerns about its connections to the Chinese government and military amidst the growing tension in the AI & tech race between the two countries.

Despite these accusations, G42 has denied any such links, stating it has no involvement with China’s military-industrial complex. In response to US concerns, G42 has agreed to divest from China—while costly—as part of the $1.5 billion deal with Microsoft months ago.

The Abu Dhabi company has previously been involved with both Chinese and US companies over the past six years. The list includes major US firms like Amazon and the Microsoft-backed OpenAI, alongside Chinese companies like Huawei and BGI Genomics.