Sir Edward Byrne, newly appointed to lead King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, has indicated a shift in priorities towards American technology, emphasizing the importance of US chip access over ties with China.
Byrne, an Australian neuroscientist and former president of King’s College London, was appointed as KAUST’s president recently. The university relies heavily on advanced chips from US companies like Nvidia and AMD for developing sophisticated AI models.
The geopolitical contest between the US and China extends to the Arabian Peninsula, with the US holding a significant edge due to its dominance in the chip and AI sectors and strict export regulations affecting China.
Byrne’s stance aligns with other leaders in Saudi Arabia. In May, the CEO of Alat, a fund backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, stated a preference for the US over China if required to choose.
During a recent global AI summit in Riyadh, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority announced plans to purchase 5,000 Nvidia graphics chips for an Arabic language AI model, contingent on US approval. This underscores Saudi Arabia’s reliance on US technology, highlighting the clear preference if forced to choose between the two superpowers.