Middle Eastern Nations Join the AI Arms Race
In a bid to establish themselves as global leaders in artificial intelligence (AI), Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have embarked on a significant venture, investing in thousands of Nvidia chips, including the cutting-edge H100. While this move showcases their determination to compete in the AI arena, concerns about potential misuse of the technology have also arisen.
Nvidia's H100: Powering the AI Revolution
Saudi Arabia's acquisition of over 3,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs is a clear indication of its commitment to advancing AI capabilities. These H100 chips, heralded by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as the world's first chips specifically designed for generative AI, pack an impressive punch with 14,592 CUDA cores, 80GB of HBM3 capacity, and a robust 5,120-bit memory bus. Despite their capabilities, these chips come at a hefty price tag of $40,000 each.
UAE's Stride in AI: Falcon and Nvidia Chips
The UAE has not lagged behind in the AI race either. The nation has procured a substantial number of Nvidia chips and has already pioneered its own open-source large language model (LLM) named Falcon. Developed at the state-owned Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi's Masdar City, Falcon demonstrates the UAE's aspirations to play a prominent role in the AI landscape.
Global Reach and Deployment of Nvidia Chips
Nvidia's influence is not confined to a single nation. The company is expected to distribute around 550,000 H100 GPUs globally this year, with the majority destined for US tech companies. Saudi Arabia's esteemed academic institution, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is set to receive a significant share of these chips—approximately 3,000—valued at approximately $120 million. To provide context, OpenAI harnessed the power of 1,024 A100 chips for training its ChatGPT model.
Architecting Supercomputing and LLM Development
Saudi Arabia's ambitious endeavors extend to the construction of Shaheen III, a supercomputer fueled by Nvidia chips. This supercomputer is anticipated to house 700 Grace Hopper super chips, blending Grace CPUs with H100 Tensor Core GPUs. Interestingly, these chips are also playing a pivotal role in the development of a Large Language Model (LLM) by Chinese researchers who are barred from studying or working in the US due to constraints imposed by the entity list.
UAE's Falcon LLM and Expanding Horizons
On the other side of the Gulf, the UAE has embarked on its AI journey with the Falcon LLM. This AI model was honed through the processing power of 384 A100 chips over a span of two months. Recent developments indicate that the UAE has acquired an additional batch of Nvidia chips, signaling its commitment to further advancements in AI and LLM applications.
Ethical Considerations and Global Implications
While both Saudi Arabia and the UAE are making strides in AI, their records on human rights and freedom of the press have raised concerns. The potential application of AI for surveillance and other controversial purposes raises ethical questions. Unlike China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE face no US restrictions on AI chip imports, potentially exacerbating these concerns. The ethical guardrails that underpin Western AI development might be lacking in these regions.
The Global AI Race: A Multinational Pursuit
Generative AI systems, often labeled as mere "glorified tape recorders" by some, are at the heart of a global race for AI dominance. Countries worldwide are investing substantial resources to establish themselves as pioneers in AI technology. Even nations like China and Russia have thrown their hats into the ring, albeit facing challenges posed by sanctions and constraints. Nvidia's adaptation of its top AI chips for the Chinese market is a testament to these intricate geopolitical dynamics.
As Saudi Arabia and the UAE amplify their AI capabilities through significant investments in Nvidia chips, the global AI landscape is undergoing a transformation, shaped by technological advancements, ethical considerations, and the pursuit of leadership in the AI realm.
I believe they are moving in the roght direction and they understand where the technology is moving