The new head of Saudi Arabia’s premier academic institution has promised to stop any artificial intelligence collaboration with China that could jeopardise the university’s access to US-made chips.
Professor Sir Edward Byrne, who became head of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) last month, said he would prioritise relationships with “the areas I know best, which are the UK, Europe and the US” and ensure that researchers at Kaust have access to the AI technology they need to carry out their work.
“You know the more sensitive areas. I think we all know what they are. I’m absolutely committed to be totally observant of all relevant national regulations, including those relating to the US,” he said in an interview with the Financial Times.