Trump to Host Senior UAE Official for Investment and AI Technology Talks
Former US President Donald Trump is set to welcome Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and brother of the UAE president, for a private dinner at the White House on Tuesday. The meeting aims to deepen economic ties between the two countries, particularly in the areas of investment, energy and technology.
Focus on chip technology and AI.
The UAE is seeking to increase access to cutting-edge technology from the United States, particularly advanced semiconductor chips made by companies such as Nvidia Corp. Large-scale data centers designed to train AI models are among the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure investments that Abu Dhabi has already made. However, US restrictions on the export of high-performance semiconductors have made it difficult to achieve these goals.
During the administration of former President Joe Biden, export controls were tightened in 2023, limiting the UAE’s ability to obtain the latest AI chips. In his final days in office, Biden also proposed additional curbs on the sale of advanced chips. The Trump administration is currently reviewing these policies, with Sheikh Tahnoon expected to push for more favorable regulations that would allow the UAE to procure essential AI components.
UAE’s Massive Investments in US Tech Infrastructure
Sheikh Tahnoon is expected to highlight the UAE’s substantial investments in US-based technology projects. One key initiative is the Abu Dhabi-backed MGX fund, which has pledged $100 billion to support AI infrastructure projects in the US—an effort that Trump announced during his first week back in office.
Sheikh Tahnoon owns a $1.5 trillion business empire that includes a number of wealth funds and tech-related businesses, of which MGX is a part. Notably, he is in charge of Royal Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and G42, a significant AI startup at the core of the UAE’s technological aspirations.
Developing Economic ties between the US and the UAE
The visit highlights the growing business ties between the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Speaking at a technology symposium earlier Tuesday, Vice President JD Vance greeted the Emirati delegation and underlined the UAE’s significance as a strategic partner in artificial intelligence.
“One of the things they consistently emphasize — something that many of our European allies overlook — is that leadership in artificial intelligence requires leadership in energy production,” Vance noted.
As Sheikh Tahnoon’s visit unfolds, discussions on AI, semiconductor access, and increased Emirati investments in the US are expected to take center stage, potentially shaping future US-UAE technological cooperation.
