US loosens export controls on military items and AI chips to UAE

The US Department of Commerce has loosened export controls on the UAE, making it easier to export military items, certain commercial satellites and spacecraft. The UAE government and approved companies can now access advanced computing items licence-free. UAE companies G42 and Core42, along with US companies operating in the country including Amazon, Apple, and xAI, no longer need licenses for AI chips and servers. The Commerce Department cited decades of US-UAE cooperation against Iran and its proxies, as well as the UAE's status as the largest US trading partner in the Middle East, with foreign direct investment in the United States valued at over $1 trillion. Under the new regulation, the Commerce Department moved the UAE into a country grouping that allows more licence exceptions for military and dual-use items.