The First U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership Interagency Working Group Meeting

On March 26, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Investment Mohamed Al Suwaidi chaired the first interagency meeting of the U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership Working Group. The meeting brought together senior representatives from the Departments of State, Commerce, Energy, War, and Treasury, as well as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and from the UAE government and companies, both virtually and in person in Washington, D.C. Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are rapidly reorganizing the global economy and driving new growth, which is a key reason the United States and the UAE have identified AI as an area for cooperation and agreed to work together to secure global AI supply chains under the Pax Silica initiative.

The U.S.-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership agreement signed in May 2025 is the flagship framework for U.S.-UAE AI collaboration. The Working Group provides a platform to position the United States as the UAE's AI partner of choice. It is a venue to deepen cooperation, establish clear expectations, and ensure transparency and alignment on export controls, investment screening, and other technology protection measures needed to unlock advanced AI chip exports to the UAE.

During the meeting, UAE officials underscored their desire to sustain the partnership and their intent to deepen alignment with U.S. technology and standards, while preserving the UAE's sovereign decision-making. The UAE reiterated that it stands by its $1.4 trillion U.S. investment commitment since last May and is reaffirming its commitment even amid regional instability, with UAE entities already deploying significant capital into U.S.-based digital infrastructure at scale. The United States stressed that the U.S. commitments in the two countries' AI agreement are ironclad, including continued UAE access to U.S.-origin AI chips, with demonstrable security compliance, and that the United States will continue to uphold these commitments. The U.S. side acknowledged the progress made by AI company G42 in building its already operational Regulated Technology Environment, which both sides regard as a gold-standard framework for managing sensitive technologies, and the company's efforts to enhance this environment in line with jointly agreed security and governance requirements. As part of this work, G42 and its U.S. partners are exploring a common operating picture (COP) as an additional mechanism within the Regulated Technology Environment to support greater transparency, assurance, and operational coordination.

During a guest presentation to the UAE delegation, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson emphasized that the U.S.-UAE partnership is highly valued in Congress and is strategic for both nations. The Speaker highlighted the importance of trusted partners to U.S. efforts to maintain AI leadership and compete with China, and he encouraged participants to continue engaging with Congress on the future trajectory of cooperation.

As a next step, both sides will deepen technical exchanges on the implementation of export control and investment screening regulations, including additional detail regarding G42's COP-related initiatives within the Regulated Technology Environment. The two sides discussed exploring options to improve licensing predictability and to operationalize follow-on engagement at the working level. The convening of the Working Group even during the crisis in the Gulf highlighted the importance both governments attach to their AI partnership. The United States is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the UAE in building the future together.

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