Abu Dhabi artificial intelligence company G42 has unveiled a new operating model that will allow states to deploy sovereign artificial intelligence securely and at scale.
The two initiatives are designed to enhance data sovereignty within governments amid the proliferation of AI applications, allowing them to maintain full legal authority and control over their data, systems and policies, regardless of where infrastructure is located.
“Our vision is that every government, regardless of size or geography, can operationalise its digital and AI strategy with full sovereign control over its data, systems and policies, from day one,” said Omran Sharaf, UAE Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology.
The first initiative, the Digital Embassies framework, establishes government-to-government legal constructs – abstracts that relates to legal systems and norms – that define jurisdiction, authority and sovereign rights upfront, G42 said in a statement released at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos on Tuesday.
The implementation is supported by G42’s strategic partnership with Microsoft, and also complements continuing major infrastructure initiatives such as the 5-gigawatt Stargate AI campus in Abu Dhabi, which is being positioned to be the largest data centre in the world.
The framework ensures that national laws govern data and systems, even when infrastructure is hosted or operated beyond a country’s physical borders, the company said.
G42 also launched Greenshield, an operational layer implemented by its digital infrastructure arm Core42, which translates sovereign policy into execution.
Greenshield applies consistent sovereign controls across environments, governing identity and access, data handling, security, compliance, auditability and continuity, it said.
The service is implemented across multiple geographies, including sovereign AI clusters in North America, Europe and the UAE, said Talal Al Kaissi, interim chief executive of Core42 and group chief global affairs officer of G42.
“When coupled with the government-to-government agreements, Greenshield introduces technical and policy controls that enable governments to run accelerated AI workloads with sovereign controls regardless of where the infrastructure is located,” he said.
Data protection has become increasingly important in the digital age, with personal and sensitive information being widely shared and available for many purposes.
Governments are boosting their efforts to protect this data, ensuring they maintain control over it while, at the same time, implementing transparency and accessibility.
“Governments are clear on their sovereignty responsibilities, but they need practical ways to deploy AI today,” said G42 International chief commercial officer Ali Al Amine.
G42 has struck major agreements locally and internationally as it grows its network, including partnerships with US and French organisations. It has also established G42 Europe and UK, and has been reported to be seeking expansion in the US.
