G42 and Microsoft to Set Up Responsible AI Centre

The UAE-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) powerhouse G42 and global software giant Microsoft have announced establishing a new centre for Responsible AI in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the UAE’s policy and planning body, the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC).

Microsoft and G42 will co-fund the centre which 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 Responsible AI centre also aims to bring academic researchers and AI practitioners on a single platform from across the private sector to develop, document and share emerging Responsible AI best practices.

Besides, Microsoft will also establish an AI for Good Lab in Abu Dhabi to collaborate with non-profit organisations, helping to focus on key economic and societal challenges across Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

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 this year to develop plans and research programmes in collaboration with local and global partners to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status in the fields of AI and advanced technology.

The two centres build on the work that Microsoft and G42 took 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 our partnership and the commitments made to the US and the UAE governments.

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 our growing joint customer base, globally.

Responsible & Safe Use

Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said that establishing new centres will add to the important progress Microsoft and G42 are making to broaden access to the responsible, safe, and secure use of AI.

G42 Group CEO Peng Xiao said that by advancing Responsible AI together with Microsoft, G42 was creating a framework for AI to serve all of humanity. These new centres reflect G42’s shared vision for leveraging technology to solve real-world challenges, positioning Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AI innovation that prioritizes safety, trust and collaboration, especially across the global south, he added.

Ever 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 the UAE governments.

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 the US-developed advanced technology systems are essential for meeting international AI demands.

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.