Overview
- The Trump administration formalized multibillion-dollar AI partnerships with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, allowing the export of advanced Nvidia AI chips and development of major AI infrastructure in the Gulf.
- The UAE will import up to 500,000 Nvidia chips annually, while Saudi Arabia's Humain venture will receive 18,000 chips for a 500-megawatt data center.
- The Biden-era AI Diffusion Rule, which would have restricted AI chip exports, was rescinded ahead of these deals, with new policies still under development.
- Tech leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, praised the agreements as strategic moves against China, while lawmakers raised concerns about potential risks to U.S. national security.
- Critics, such as Rep. Ro Khanna, questioned the offshore focus, arguing that the largest AI campus should have been built in the U.S. to align with 'America First' priorities.