Microsoft has announced a USD 1.5 billion investment in G42, a UAE-based artificial intelligence (AI) technology company. The investment is expected to strengthen the two companies’ collaboration on bringing the latest Microsoft AI technologies and skilling initiatives to the UAE and other countries.
As part of the partnership, Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, will join the G42 Board of Directors. This collaboration will empower organizations of all sizes in new markets to harness the benefits of AI and the cloud while ensuring they are adopting AI that adheres to leading standards in safety and security.
As part of the partnership agreement, G42 will run its AI applications and services on Microsoft Azure and partner to deliver AI solutions to global public sector clients and large enterprises. G42 and Microsoft will also work together to bring AI and digital infrastructure to countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa.
Speaking at the announcement event, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of G42, said, “Microsoft’s investment in G42 marks a pivotal moment in our company’s journey of growth and innovation, signifying a strategic alignment of vision and execution between the two organizations. This partnership is a testament to the shared values and aspirations for progress, fostering greater cooperation and synergy globally.”
On his part, Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, said, “Through Microsoft’s strategic investment, we are advancing our mission to deliver cutting-edge AI technologies at scale. This partnership significantly enhances our international market presence, combining G42’s unique AI capabilities with Microsoft’s robust global infrastructure. Together, we are not only expanding our operational horizons but also setting new industry standards for innovation.”
The collaboration between G42 and Microsoft has expanded through several milestones over the last year. In September last year, the companies entered into an agreement to introduce sovereign cloud offerings and collaborate on unlocking the potential of advanced AI capabilities on the Azure public cloud platform.