REDMOND, Wash. and ABU DHABI, UAE — September 17, 2024 — Microsoft and G42 continue to collaborate and share two important efforts to ensure AI is used responsibly to benefit the world. This effort builds on the partnership we jointly announced earlier this year and marks the beginning of several additional steps we will announce in the coming weeks and months.
Today, we are announcing the establishment of two new centers in Abu Dhabi that will together advance our shared responsible AI goals. The first, co-founded and co-funded by G42 and Microsoft and endorsed by the Abu Dhabi Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), will identify, develop and advance best practices and industry standards for the responsible use of AI in the Middle East and Global South. The second, we are expanding Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab to Abu Dhabi to support AI projects that address key societal goals.
The initial center will bring together academic researchers and AI practitioners from across the private sector to develop, document, and share emerging best practices for responsible AI. G42 and Microsoft are committed to working closely with the center to bring together individuals and organizations from across the Middle East, the Global South, and beyond to learn from each other and drive continued progress in this emerging field.
At the same time, Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab will open a center in Abu Dhabi, its first in the Middle East. The new lab will use the power of AI to engage with nonprofits and partners to address major economic and social challenges across the Middle East and Africa. Working closely with the existing team at the Nairobi lab, the effort will prioritize the development of large-scale language models for underrepresented languages to help close the global language gap. It will also focus on promoting food security and climate resilience by applying AI to high-resolution geospatial data to improve disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
The partnership will work in conjunction with the AIATC, which was established in January to develop initiatives and research programs in collaboration with local and global partners, with the aim of enhancing Abu Dhabi’s position in artificial intelligence and advanced technology.
The two centers build on Microsoft and G42’s joint efforts to implement responsible AI standards and practices, including to ensure that the companies’ generative AI models and applications are developed, deployed and used safely. This is a core commitment in the responsible AI policy developed and implemented by Microsoft and now adopted by G42 in connection with its partnerships and engagement with the U.S. and UAE governments.
These policies govern the design and use of AI applications, incorporate digital safety and cybersecurity plans for model training and deployment, and establish a “red team” process to probe, test, and protect AI systems from attack. G42’s adoption of these policies solidifies the UAE as a trusted global AI hub and ensures that Microsoft and G42 AI technologies running on Azure are shared responsibly with our growing joint customer base around the world.
“Today’s commitment adds to the important progress Microsoft and the G42 are making to expand access to the responsible, safe and secure use of artificial intelligence,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chairman and president. “We look forward to further efforts with the G42 to advance the responsible use of AI for our customers and strengthen the relationship between not only our two companies, but also our two countries.”
Peng Xiao, Group CEO, G42, said: “By advancing responsible AI together with Microsoft, we are building the framework for AI to benefit all of humanity. These new centres reflect our shared vision of leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges, and position Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AI innovation that prioritizes safety, reliability and collaboration, particularly across the Southern Hemisphere.”
Since Microsoft and G42 began working together in April, the companies have been operating with the support and oversight of the U.S. and UAE governments, and consistent with the obligations of the Intergovernmental Guarantee Agreement.
Per company policy established earlier this year, G42 and its affiliates do not do business with any organizations on the U.S. Government Integrated Screening List. Microsoft and G42 compliance committees meet quarterly, and the two teams review progress weekly. G42’s compliance program is designed to be “best in class,” ensuring the highest standards of business practices and security principles.
This partnership provides a strategic opportunity to bring world-class technology to underserved regions, such as the Global South. G42’s efforts to build a regulatory and oversight environment for the deployment of U.S.-developed advanced technology systems are essential to meeting international AI demand. Our collaboration aims to bridge the digital divide, address pressing societal challenges, and promote democratic norms in cyberspace. We have already announced a $1 billion investment in Kenya to leverage geothermal energy, and are actively exploring other strategic markets.
Additionally, the migration of G42’s legacy public cloud infrastructure to Microsoft Azure is progressing as planned, beginning in November 2023. This transition is essential to ensure secure and efficient operations.
Both Microsoft and G42 believe in the transformative power of AI and cloud technologies, and our partnership is built on a foundation of trust, security, shared values, and a commitment to the highest standards of regulatory compliance. Microsoft and G42 are committed to ensuring our collaboration contributes to global technological advancement.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) develops AI-powered platforms and tools to deliver innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is driven by a mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, and is committed to making AI democratically accessible.
About G42
G42 is a technology holding group and a global leader in developing visionary artificial intelligence for a better future. Born in Abu Dhabi and operating around the world, G42 is advancing AI as a powerful force for good across industries. In every field, from molecular biology to space exploration, G42 is realizing exponential possibilities today.
For more information, visit www.g42.ai.
For further information, please contact:
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777, (email address protected)
G42 Media and PR Team (email address protected)
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