Microsoft, G42 set up two centres to advance Responsible AI in Abu Dhabi

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Microsoft Corp and G42 have announced the establishment in Abu Dhabi of two new centres that together will advance their collective Responsible AI goals.

The first, co-founded and co-funded by G42 and Microsoft, with the endorsement of UAE’s 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 the Global South.

The second is the expansion of Microsoft’s AI for Good Research Lab into Abu Dhabi, which will support AI projects that address key societal goals.

Develop ongoing advances

The first centre will convene academic researchers and AI practitioners from across the private sector to develop, document and share emerging Responsible AI best practices. G42 and Microsoft are both committed to working closely with the Centre to bring together individuals and organisations from across the Middle East, the Global South, and more broadly to learn from each other and develop ongoing advances in this emerging field.

Simultaneously, Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab will open a centre in Abu Dhabi, its first in the Middle East. This new lab will harness the power of AI to collaborate with nonprofit organisations and partners, addressing key economic and societal challenges across the Middle East and Africa.

In close collaboration with the Lab’s existing team in Nairobi, this initiative will prioritise the development of large language models for underrepresented languages, helping bridge the global language divide.

It will also focus on advancing food security and strengthening climate resilience by applying AI to high-resolution geospatial data, enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

The partnership will work alongside the AIATC, which was created in January to develop plans and research programmes in collaboration with local and global partners to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced technology.

The two centres build on the work that Microsoft and G42 are taking together to implement Responsible AI standards and practices. This includes working to ensure that the two companies’ generative AI models and applications are developed, deployed and used safely — a commitment that is at the heart of the Responsible AI policies that Microsoft has developed and implemented, and that G42 is now adopting in connection with its partnership and the commitments made to the US and UAE governments.

Red teaming

Among other things, these policies govern the design and use of AI applications, incorporate digital safety and cybersecurity plans for model training and deployment, and establish “red teaming” processes to harden AI systems against probing, testing and attacks.

G42’s adoption of these policies will solidify the UAE’s position as a trusted global AI hub and ensure that Microsoft and G42 AI technologies running on Azure are responsibly shared with their growing joint customer base, globally.

“Today’s steps will add to the important progress Microsoft and G42 are making to broaden access to the responsible, safe, and secure use of artificial intelligence,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft.

“We are committed to additional steps with G42 that advance responsible AI use for customers and that strengthen the relationship not only between our two companies, but between our two countries.”

Peng Xiao, Group CEO of G42, said: “By advancing Responsible AI together with Microsoft, we are creating a framework for AI to serve all of humanity. These new centres reflect our shared vision for leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AI innovation that prioritises safety, trust and collaboration, especially across the global south.”

Since Microsoft and G42 launched their partnership in April, the two companies have been executing under the commitments of the Intergovernmental Assurance Agreement, with support and oversight by both the US and UAE governments.

Best in class

As a matter of corporate policy instituted earlier this year, G42 and its affiliates do not conduct business with any entity listed on the US Government Consolidated Screening List. The Microsoft and G42 compliance committee meets quarterly, and the two teams maintain a weekly cadence for progress reviews. G42’s compliance programme is designed to be “best in class,” ensuring the highest standards of business practices and security principles.

This partnership presents a strategic opportunity to bring world-class technology to underserved regions such as the global south. G42’s efforts in creating a regulated and monitored environment for deploying US-developed advanced technology systems are essential for meeting international AI demands. The collaboration aims to bridge the digital divide, address pressing social challenges, and promote democratic norms in cyberspace. The two entities have already announced a $1 billion investment in Kenya leveraging geothermal energy, and are actively exploring other strategic markets.

In addition, the migration of G42’s legacy public cloud infrastructure to Microsoft Azure began in November 2023 and is continuing as planned. This migration is critical for ensuring secure and efficient operations.

Microsoft and G42 believe in the transformative power of AI and cloud technologies, and their 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 dedicated to ensuring that the collaboration contributes positively to global technological advancement.