UAE officials met with US Vice President JD Vance at the White House on Friday to discuss key topics including artificial intelligence, recent investment initiatives, and enhanced energy cooperation. The meeting highlighted the UAE’s commitment to invest $1.4 trillion in the US across various sectors, notably artificial intelligence infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and manufacturing.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, was present at the meeting alongside Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the US and Minister of State. Their discussions underscored the importance of investment and collaboration between the two nations.

Earlier in the week, Dr. Al Jaber shared insights at the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum in Washington, emphasizing the unique opportunities emerging globally, particularly in the growing AI sector. In March, Vice President Vance acknowledged the UAE’s focus on AI during the American Dynamism Summit, stating, “One of the things they [UAE] consistently hammer upon … is that if you want to lead in artificial intelligence, you have got to be leading in energy production.”

Over the past decade, the UAE, which is the Arab world’s second largest economy, has made significant strides to become a frontrunner in AI as it diversifies its economy away from oil dependency. This has led to the establishment of start-ups and the formation of partnerships with leading industry players such as Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI.

In addition to fostering innovation, the UAE has taken steps to preserve its cultural heritage in the AI landscape. The creation of language models like Falcon Arabic aims to ensure that Arabic culture is represented in an increasingly AI-driven world, which has often prioritized English-language data.

Furthermore, in 2019, the UAE announced the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, a dedicated institution for AI education. This initiative followed the UAE’s earlier decision to appoint Omar Al Olama as the world’s first AI Minister, showcasing the nation’s commitment to advancing technology and education in this critical field.