The UAE and US have agreed to create a bilateral task force to speed up the development of artificial intelligence tools for military purposes.
Task Force Talon Synapse is scheduled to begin “in the coming weeks”, US Central Command announced on Tuesday.
It will be based in Abu Dhabi and will be made up of about 20 US and Emirati personnel specialising in AI, data and cybersecurity.
“Together, we and our Emirati partners share a strong commitment to adopting AI applications that will foster innovation at speed and scale,” said Centcom chief Admiral Brad Cooper.
“This will be a historic milestone as we work with one of our most capable regional partners to rapidly deliver evolving AI advancements to our warfighters.”
According to Centcom, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, raised the idea of forming an AI and military task force last year.
Centcom said that last month, “AI industry leaders and Emirati defence officials” met during a trip to the region to discuss details.
The UAE has pushed to position itself as a regional leader in AI. In 2019, the country announced the establishment of a university dedicated to the technology, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence.
The UAE was also one of the first countries to appoint an AI minister, Omar Al Olama, who is now Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.
In 2025, during US President Donald Trump's visit to the UAE, plans for a 5GW UAE-US AI Campus were announced.
After a lengthy effort to win US permission to obtain powerful Nvidia chips deemed to be essential for AI buildout, the UAE received its first shipment of the semiconductors in June.
Earlier in July, the US said it would “significantly upgrade” the UAE’s export status in recognition of its defence support, including during the war with Iran.
Bilateral trade between the US and the UAE reached $34.4 billion last year, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.
