Abu Dhabi’s G42 teams up with Nvidia to offer AI-led climate solutions

Companies to rely on US chip maker’s Earth-2 platform that can make climate and weather predictions

The two companies will also be setting up a ClimateTech lab in Abu Dhabi, which will help create tailored climate and weather solutions. AFP

UAE artificial intelligence company G42 has partnered with global chip maker Nvidia to develop AI solutions aimed at enhancing the accuracy of weather forecasting globally.

The collaboration will drive advanced climate solutions through Nvidia’s Earth-2 platform that can make climate and weather predictions with interactive, AI-augmented, high-resolution simulation, G42 said in a statement on Friday.

The companies will also be setting up a ClimateTech lab in Abu Dhabi under the partnership, which will “serve as a hub for research and development”. The lab will also help create “tailored climate and weather solutions that leverage over 100 petabytes of geophysical data assets”, according to the statement.

The initiative is “a testament to our commitment to applying AI in ways that not only innovate but also solve critical global challenges”, Peng Xiao, group chief executive of G42, said. The ClimateTech lab “allows us to leverage our unique capabilities and insights to foster a sustainable future for the world”.

The move is in line with the UAE’s aim to become a global AI leader, continuing to tap into New-Age technologies. The Emirates has attracted interest for its potential to become a global AI hub and has pivoted towards partnerships with technology majors from the West.

G42 has been at the forefront of the UAE’s AI growth strategy. Last October, G42 unveiled a new entity, Core42, that merged three of its key units – G42 Cloud, its research and development arm Inception, and ICT unit Injazat – to focus on delivering AI solutions and services on a national scale.

In April, it received a $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft, which will help to further boost G42's global expansion plans and strengthen the UAE's position as a global technology hub.

It also announced a partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, focusing on using its models in verticals where G42 operates, including financial services, energy, health care and public services.

The AI market is projected to reach $305.9 billion this year, according to Statista. It is expected to show an annual growth rate of 15.83 per cent, resulting in a market volume of $738.8 billion by 2030.

AI is widely being explored to develop accurate climate models, which can help understand how climate is changing and predict future scenarios.

G42’s latest alliance with Nvidia will focus on building a robust framework for integrating weather-prediction capabilities with comprehensive data metrics.

“Our collaboration with G42 marks a pivotal step towards harnessing AI to understand and predict climate phenomena with unprecedented accuracy,” said Jensen Huang, founder and chief executive of Nvidia.

“The Earth-2 ClimateTech lab will propel environmental solutions using the most advanced accelerated computing and AI technology to benefit millions of people around the world.”