CIA operative helped UAE secure access to advanced US AI technology amid China links fears – report

A veteran CIA operative, Jonny Gannon, was sent to the UAE in 2023 to assess G42, a leading AI company, amid US concerns about its ties to China. US officials worried that advanced American technology could fall into Beijing's hands due to G42's prior business relationships with Chinese companies and use of Chinese telecommunications equipment. Gannon's role evolved from intelligence gathering to guiding Emirati officials on changes needed for G42 to access sensitive American technology.

• G42 subsequently reduced its exposure to China, replaced Chinese technology, and accepted additional security and compliance requirements.
• These changes facilitated Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in G42 in April 2024, which included a binding security framework developed with US and UAE governments.
• The operation helped ease suspicions, allowing G42 to secure partnerships with major American technology companies and the UAE to gain access to advanced AI chips.
• The UAE's ambitions include Stargate UAE, the first international deployment of OpenAI's Stargate infrastructure platform, with plans for a one-gigawatt AI computing cluster in Abu Dhabi.