Today's Edition
KHALED AL KHAWALDEH AND MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
As the UAE prepares to welcome US President Donald Trump today for a landmark state visit, leading policy experts are already calling the moment a defining chapter in the UAE's rapidly evolving partnership with the US.
"This is a historic moment in the UAE-US relations," Jana Boyd, Global Chief Strategy Officer and Strategic Advisor to the UAE Chapter of the Global Council for Responsible AI, told Aletihad.
"It's been very, very dynamic since 2024."
Boyd emphasised that the visit is not an isolated event but part of a continuous strategic dialogue that began with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's official trip to Washington, DC in September 2024. That visit was followed in March 2025 with His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan's, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, week-long meetings with top US political and business leaders.
"That trip culminated in the UAE's extraordinary commitments of $1.4 trillion in US investments over the next 10 years," Boyd recalled.
"Those pledges aren't just passive - they're purposeful and direct investments in energy, artificial intelligence, and critical infrastructure."
As President Trump arrives in Abu Dhabi following stops in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Boyd expects one issue to dominate the talks: semiconductor access and strategic technology transfer.
"The UAE is now positioned as the third nation in artificial intelligence development after the US and China, and it's looking to secure direct access to advanced chip technology to sustain its AI ambitions," Boyd said.
Beyond semiconductors, Boyd highlighted the growing importance of AI governance and defence collaboration. As the Chief Strategist of the Global Council for Responsible AI, she expected deeper UAE-US cooperation on AI frameworks, cybersecurity, and dual-use technologies.
"This includes how both nations manage data sharing, sovereign clouds, and the deployment of agentic AI - while mitigating the risks that come with it," she said.
She also predicted the visit would reinforce the UAE's role as a defence partner, particularly as innovations from UAE-based defence technology companies like EDGE continue to gain international attention.
Boyd went on to highlight how AI and energy are now inseparable, making the energy transition a key security priority for both nations.
"There's no AI without energy anymore," she stated.
"We're already seeing the UAE building large data centres in the US powered by clean energy sources like solar. Energy and AI will permeate every sector moving forward."
Boyd noted that a majority of the UAE's recent US investments target energy infrastructure - a move that underscores the shared priority of ensuring energy security while driving technological progress.
Reflecting on the broader impact, Boyd framed the visit as a strategic affirmation of the UAE's role on the world stage.
"This meeting solidifies the UAE's position as a global stakeholder - not just a regional player," she said.
"It shows the UAE isn't just a recipient of Western policy but a partner shaping it."
The visit also has mutual economic benefits, Boyd added. For the US, the inflow of Emirati investments supports American firms in sectors ranging from infrastructure to advanced manufacturing.
"The outcomes could unlock a new chapter of shared prosperity, technological empowerment, and strategic cooperation for both nations."
UAE: An Established Business Hub
Stewart Kirkham, a Texas-born real estate development executive who has lived in the region for 17 years, views President Trump's visit as a major milestone.
"A presidential visit is always a major event and a step forward in the relationship between our countries," he told Aletihad. "It creates global conversations and draws increased interest and confidence in the UAE and the region."
Kirkham believes that high-level engagements like this one send a powerful message to American entrepreneurs and investors.
"These kinds of high-level visits showcase the best of the UAE, positioning the country front and centre as a safe, stable, and welcoming place to do business," he added. "It draws attention to the great opportunity here."
Reflecting on his experience as an expat, Kirkham emphasised the inclusive environment the UAE offers: "Americans have always been welcome in the UAE, and with the world becoming a smaller place, the UAE is very accessible - whether to visit, live, work, or start a business. As an American, I am proud to live here and am excited to play a part in the UAE story."
Rashid AlAmeeri, an Emirati-American communications professional, said the visit highlights the UAE's growing influence on the world stage.
"President Trump's visit to the UAE shows how deep the connection between the two states is," he told Aletihad. "It also signifies the strength of the UAE's soft power and political influence; not just in the region, but globally."
AlAmeeri pointed to recent major US investments, such as Disney's plans for a theme park in the UAE, as signs of increasing trust and collaboration.
"The UAE is already an established business hub. Trump's visit only amplifies this collaboration and definitely cements the UAE as an ally for long-term economic relationships."
For Martin Kocher, a Minnesota native and partner at Gravity Power Management Consultancies in Abu Dhabi, President Trump's visit is "both a validation and a catalyst".
Kocher, who works with international investors and institutions across DIFC and ADGM, believes the visit sends a strong signal of confidence to US investors eyeing the region.
"The UAE has multiple attractive offerings for US businesses and investors in key sectors such as real estate, healthcare, AI, and manufacturing," he told Aletihad. "A presidential visit serves as both a validation and a catalyst, especially at a time when global investors are seeking political neutrality, financial predictability, and reliable global positioning. The UAE offers all three."
Kocher highlighted the UAE's long-term strategic alignment with US innovation goals.
"The UAE's commitment to innovation aligns with America's entrepreneurial spirit - it's a natural partnership," he said, pointing to existing collaborations in AI (such as G42), healthcare (Mayo Clinic), and finance (BlackRock and Bridgewater's regional presence).
"Both countries are both committed to exploring the final frontier - which is outer space, and developing technology that will have positive spin-off effects on humanity on earth."
They also share a common ambition to lead in areas like AI, clean energy, and next-generation healthcare, with the UAE positioned as an "ideal platform" to bring these ambitions to life across emerging markets, he added.
"This visit helps renew investor confidence that the UAE is a stable, forward-looking hub where American ideas and capital can thrive."
Beyond bilateral trade, which reached $34.4 billion in 2024, Kocher sees the UAE as a gateway to emerging markets.
"With 80% of the global population within an eight-hour flight of the UAE, it's not just about bilateral relations, it's about scaling impact globally," said Kocher.
He believes that Trump's visit will help more American investors view the UAE as not just a distant ally, but as a "first-choice" platform for launching or expanding their global strategies.
Kocher, who moved to the UAE after attending Expo 2020, says the country's vision and ambition won him over.
"That trip changed the trajectory of my life," he shared.
Since then, Kocher has been advising on projects that align with the UAE's national goals across infrastructure, finance, and sustainable development.
"Every day is a new opportunity here," the American expat said.
The UAE, he added, is in active expansion mode, both in infrastructure and policy, and is executing these changes with "surgical precision".
"From real estate development to venture capital, and even the legal sector, I have seen how the UAE institutions prioritise efficiency and clarity, all hallmarks of a functional economy," Kocher said.
"The current investment landscape in the UAE is in growth mode to fill into the mold that is the national development agendas."
