G42 details plan to secure US-supplied AI chips

• Location and access to be tracked
• US wary of outside interference
• UAE to import up to 500,000 chips

G42, the Abu Dhabi-backed technology group, has announced how it aims to protect imported US AI chips from outside interference and unauthorised use.

The plans are a prerequisite for the delivery of advanced AI chips from the US, which Washington had feared may end up in the hands of China if effective safeguards are not put in place.

The UAE is part of Pax Silica, a US-led coalition aimed at securing AI supply chains from critical minerals to software. The US has previously said it will “trust but verify” members’ approaches to protecting data and intellectual property over tech provided to other Pax Silica partners. 

The Emirati technology holding company has said it will provide continuous, verifiable visibility into the location, control, and authorised use of American AI semiconductors it deploys in its data centres.

G42 announced the Common Operating Picture tech platform, which will govern compliance with US export controls. That includes verifying the location of chips, providing transparency on access and end-use, upholding governance safeguards, and enabling structured engagement between the US and UAE governments. 

To deliver the technical aspects of the agreement, G42 will develop a Regulated Technology Environment. This will include access controls, personnel screening and authorisation protocols, continuous monitoring and logging, and segregation mechanisms to ensure controlled and compliant use.

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G42 also said it plans to develop mechanisms to track how the compute it deploys is used by clients to ensure their work is compliant.

The company’s aim is to ensure the unimpeded delivery of advanced AI chips, which are crucial to the country’s plans to become an exporter of AI compute. 

On Wednesday Jacob Helberg, US under secretary of state for economic growth, energy and environment, called Emirati plans to ringfence US-provided chips “incredibly positive”, and said they set a standard for broader adoption later.

The Emirates may import as many as 500,000 of Nvidia’s latest semiconductors annually from 2025 to 2027.