Abu Dhabi-based artificial intelligence (AI) powerhouse G42 and US technology giant Cisco signed a pivotal initial agreement on Tuesday to explore the development of AI infrastructure across both public and private sectors in the UAE. This landmark collaboration was unveiled just days before US President Donald Trump’s highly anticipated visit to the Emirates, signalling a strategic push towards deepening technological ties between the two nations.
The exact financial details of the investment remain undisclosed. However, the partnership extends beyond infrastructure, encompassing a joint study on co-developing AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, a critical area as digital threats grow in complexity. The agreement was formally signed by G42’s Group Chief Executive Peng Xiao and Cisco’s Chief Executive Chuck Robbins, in the presence of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, underscoring the high-level significance of this venture.
AI to Transform Economy and Security
This new alliance coincides with a broader wave of technology-focused deals expected to emerge during President Trump’s Middle East visit, reflecting a mutual interest in leveraging AI to transform economies and security frameworks. “This agreement reflects our shared interest in exploring how AI infrastructure and innovation can be scaled responsibly and securely across markets,” Peng Xiao stated. He emphasized that the partnership aligns with G42’s international expansion strategy by targeting areas where combined expertise can help governments, enterprises, and communities unlock AI’s full potential.
The UAE’s ambitions in AI are supported by a robust economic backdrop. Earlier this year, the country announced plans to invest up to $1.4 trillion in the US over the next decade. Edward Bell, Chief Economist at Emirates NBD, Dubai’s largest bank, highlighted that alongside financial investments, deals to secure access to advanced semiconductor technologies could be key to accelerating the UAE’s AI goals.
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G42 A Central Pillar
G42 has been a central pillar in the UAE’s AI agenda. In 2023, it launched Core42—a strategic consolidation of its cloud services, R&D arm Inception, and ICT unit Injazat—designed to deliver AI solutions at a national scale. That same year at the Gitex Global tech summit, G42 revealed a partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, focusing on deploying AI models across sectors like financial services, energy, healthcare, and public services.
The company’s rapid growth has attracted major global players. In April 2023, G42 secured a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft, reinforcing its plans for global expansion and positioning the UAE as a leading tech hub. Later that year, G42 joined forces with chip manufacturer Nvidia to pioneer AI-driven weather forecasting solutions via Nvidia’s Earth-2 platform, aiming to provide high-resolution climate predictions worldwide.
US Strengthening Presence
These strategic moves align perfectly with the UAE’s vision of establishing itself as a global AI leader. The Emirates continues to court partnerships with Western technology giants, underlining its pivot towards becoming a major AI hub. Just last week, reports surfaced that G42 is planning to expand into the US market, underscoring the UAE’s commitment to significant international AI investments. The corporate filings reveal G42 has established a US subsidiary to strengthen its presence there.
This expansion follows a series of high-profile meetings between UAE leaders and global tech executives. Notably, in March, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, met with Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, following earlier engagements with Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. These interactions also included discussions with senior US government officials, reflecting the strategic importance of AI and technology collaboration.
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Cisco, headquartered in California, is a major provider of networking hardware and technology services with a solid footprint in the UAE, alongside other tech giants like Microsoft and Google. The company’s partnership with G42 focuses on leveraging AI’s vast potential by jointly developing AI-ready data centers and effective AI workload management systems.
“This collaboration aims to help customers build and secure AI-ready data centres and develop AI workloads effectively,” the statement explained. Chuck Robbins, Cisco’s CEO, highlighted the broader context: “AI is fundamentally changing our world, and to truly unlock its potential, we need to build a strong global ecosystem.”
In The End
The UAE and US strengthen ties in artificial intelligence, the G42-Cisco agreement stands as a landmark deal signalling a future where AI innovation is scaled with responsibility, security, and global collaboration at its core.
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