G42, an Abu Dhabi AI firm, is exploring a majority-American ownership arrangement to secure continued access to advanced Nvidia chips beyond the current license window that expires in 2027.

Previously, G42 could purchase cutting-edge chips without a US license through April 2027, but executives are weighing a structural shift to preserve access under tighter controls.

The talks come amid a broader UAE‑US alignment, with discussions on easing export limits potentially supporting deeper collaboration and a shared AI ambitions framework.

Bloomberg reports the discussions are exploratory and come from unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

As part of governance safeguards, G42 has created a Common Operating Picture to help US authorities monitor UAE clusters and ensure export controls are not breached.

The firm is overseen by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, underscoring its strategic significance within UAE national security considerations.

Past scrutiny includes a 2024 Microsoft investment tied to distancing from Chinese tech, with ongoing US security concerns about G42’s Chinese connections.

A US-majority ownership would raise governance, ownership-control, and export-control considerations for Washington given G42’s ties to UAE security leadership.

No final decisions have been announced; G42 emphasizes a long-term growth strategy and has not disclosed confidential discussions or potential transactions.

G42 already counts Microsoft, Silver Lake, and Mubadala among its investors, with Bloomberg noting exploratory funding talks to raise billions.

A key timeline is whether a US-dominant stake can be agreed before the license window ends, aligning with national security and industrial strategies in both nations.

In July 2026, the UAE was reclassified to a friendlier export category for certain high‑performance chips with a license-free path that expires in 2027, making ownership structure crucial for ongoing access.