G42, the leading AI technology holding company in the UAE, and Microsoft today announced a strategic investment of $1.5 billion from Microsoft in G42.
This investment aims to enhance cooperation between the two companies to introduce Microsoft's latest artificial intelligence technologies and skills development initiatives to the UAE and the rest of the world.
As part of this expanded partnership, Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, will join the G42 Board of Directors.
This expanded collaboration will enable organizations of all sizes in new markets to exploit the benefits of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, while emphasizing their commitment to leading global standards for safety and security.
Building on the long-term cooperation between the two companies in the areas of artificial intelligence and digital transformation, Microsoft's investment deepens the mutual commitment to this strategic partnership. G42 will use the Microsoft Azure platform to power AI applications and services, and will collaborate with Microsoft to deliver advanced AI solutions to customers in the global public sector and major enterprises.
Additionally, G42 and Microsoft will work together to bring digital infrastructure and advanced artificial intelligence to countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa, providing these countries with equitable access to services to address key government and business issues, while maintaining the highest standards of security and privacy.
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of G42, said in a statement: “Microsoft’s investment in G42 is a defining moment in our company’s journey towards growth and innovation, and demonstrates strategic alignment in visions and implementation between the two organizations. This partnership embodies our shared values and ambitions towards… progress, and enhance cooperation and synergy at the global level.”
The partnership will also contribute to developing a skilled and diverse workforce in the field of artificial intelligence and creating a talent pool that enhances the innovation and competitiveness of the UAE and the entire region, by investing one billion dollars in a special fund for developing developers.
For his part, Brad Smith, Vice Chairman and President of Microsoft, said: “The two companies’ cooperation will not be limited to the UAE only, but they will also work to spread artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and services in developing countries. We will combine advanced technology with the leading global standards for artificial intelligence.” Safe, reliable and responsible, in close coordination with the governments of the UAE and the United States.”
It is worth noting that this commercial partnership will have the full support of both governments through an unprecedented agreement that ensures the application of global best practices to ensure the development and deployment of artificial intelligence in a safe, reliable and responsible manner.
Microsoft and G42 will work closely and seek to strengthen the security and compliance framework for their shared international infrastructure, committed to adhering to U.S. and international trade, security, responsible AI, and commercial integrity laws and regulations.
Work in these areas will also be regulated under a detailed intergovernmental guarantee agreement between G42 and Microsoft, developed after extensive consultations between the governments of the UAE and the United States.
For his part, Ping Xiao, CEO of G42 Group, added: “Thanks to the strategic investment from Microsoft, we are offering cutting-edge AI technologies at scale. This partnership significantly strengthens our presence in international markets, and combines G42’s unique AI capabilities with a strong global infrastructure.” “For Microsoft, we are not only expanding our operational horizons, but we are also setting new standards for innovation in the industry.”
For his part, Samer Abu Latif, Microsoft Vice President and President of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East and Africa, said: “Our investment in G42 demonstrates the strength and vitality of the technology landscape in the UAE and the entire region. This strategic partnership is ideally placed to generate new opportunities.” For our customers and partners, to accelerate the pace of innovation, and to drive economic growth together, and with G42, we will work to introduce pioneering technologies that enable countries and markets to advance their digital agendas by leveraging the power of cloud computing and artificial intelligence.”
The cooperation between G42 and Microsoft witnessed remarkable development over the past year through several important milestones, including a joint plan announced in April 2023 to develop artificial intelligence solutions specifically designed for the public and industrial sectors, taking advantage of Microsoft’s wide ecosystem of partners and its cloud capabilities.
In September 2023, the two companies signed an agreement to launch cloud offerings and collaborate to monetize advanced AI capabilities on the Azure public cloud platform.
Finally, in November 2023, Microsoft announced the availability of G42's Jais model for Big Arabic via the new Azure AI Cloud Model-as-a-Service.
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