AI, Tech, and the Future of US-Gulf Relations

Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman about President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which yielded a wave of major US-Gulf tech and AI deals. Soliman explains how these partnerships mark a shift in the relationship—from oil and arms to compute power and data infrastructure—and what it means for the Gulf’s strategic role in the global AI ecosystem. The discussion explores the energy bottlenecks behind AI development, evolving US export control policy, and the social and geopolitical implications of the Gulf’s ambitions to become a digital hub for emerging markets.

Recorded May 19, 2025.

More analysis from Mohammed Soliman:

• Realigning US-Saudi relations for the AI era

• Sheikh Tahnoon in Washington: UAE-US relations reimagined for the 21st century with technology at the core

• JD Vance Unveils America’s AI Doctrine (The National Interest)