In May, Microsoft Corp. and G42, the United Arab Emirates artificial intelligence firm, announced plans to spend $1 billion on projects in Kenya, including a massive geothermal-powered data center. The deal was negotiated with input from the US and UAE governments and coincided with a summit meeting in Washington between President Joe Biden and Kenyan President William Ruto. Proponents of the Kenya project see it as a potential blueprint for similar government-business partnerships that could help the US expand its political and economic clout in the Global South — emerging markets in Africa and Central Asia where China is already firmly entrenched. Microsoft and G42 have pledged to team up on multiple projects in coming years, leveraging the UAE’s regional ties. But already there’s growing concern in Washington that relying on Microsoft, G42 and the Emirati government could imperil national security — and without US officials on board, the firms won’t be able to get the technology they need to make their partnership a success. The linchpin of the two companies’ relationship is an agreement, blessed earlier this year by the Biden administration, for Microsoft to invest $1.5 billion in the UAE firm in exchange for G42’s agreement to cut ties with Chinese companies. Pentagon officials are skeptical G42 will entirely uncouple from China, according to people familiar with the situation. Microsoft’s chronic cybersecurity failures, enumerated recently in a scathing government report, also have stoked fears that foreign powers could access sensitive US networks. Other officials wonder if it’s a good idea shipping advanced AI to Gulf states with questionable human-rights records.

Full report : US officials see the Microsoft-G42 partnership as way to help Washington combat Beijing’s influence in the Global South.