Saudi-Chinese Collaboration in AI Sparks Concerns About Access to US-Made Chips
A collaboration between Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) and Chinese institutions in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised fears that the university’s access to US-made chips could be jeopardized. Professor Jinchao Xu, an American-Chinese mathematician at Kaust, has launched AceGPT, an Arabic-focused large language model, in collaboration with the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and the Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data. Saudi Arabia is aiming to lead the regional development of AI technology, compete with AI companies, and create bespoke models for Arabic speakers.
Western officials have expressed concerns about the growing technology transfer between Gulf allies and China. The US has expanded export license requirements for graphics processing units (GPUs) made by Nvidia and AMD, preventing Chinese entities from accessing the cutting-edge chips necessary for building generative AI models. While the Biden administration has not blocked exports to the Middle East, individuals at Kaust believe that limiting Chinese cooperation is important to secure chip delivery.
AI has become a battleground for China-US competition in the Gulf, as Riyadh and Abu Dhabi seek to include technology transfer while maintaining ties with Washington. Abu Dhabi has released a more powerful version of the Falcon model, and G42, a company controlled by the UAE’s national security adviser, has released an Arabic-language large language model. US officials are making efforts to divert Gulf states from China, including backing a rail and shipping corridor through the Middle East to link India and Europe.
Kaust president Tony Chan has been strengthening ties with China, including signing deals with Shenzhen universities. Kaust says that the Saudi-China exchange is “thriving,” with a growing number of Chinese academics at the university. Critics argue that Chinese universities offer cheaper interns and students who can handle rote work, such as testing GPUs and sifting data.
Kaust is developing a more powerful supercomputer, Shaheen III, which aims to deliver 20 times more computing power than its existing system. The university has contracted Hewlett Packard Enterprise to deliver the system, with Nvidia chips. Kaust maintains that it complies with US export control regulations and has strict controls on system access.
Comment: Will Saudi Arabia’s collaboration with China in AI technology put the country at odds with its traditional ally, the US? Let us know your thoughts!
IntelliPrompt curated this article: Read the full story at the original source by clicking here