U.S. Republican lawmakers asked the administration of President Joe Biden for an intelligence assessment of Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in UAE-based artificial intelligence firm G42 over concerns about the transfer of sensitive technology and G42's historic ties to China.
Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and John Moolenaar, leader of the Select Committee on China, made the request for a briefing in a letter dated Wednesday to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, the committees said.
The Republicans said they want the briefing on the deal, announced in April, before it advances to a second phase involving the transfer of export-restricted semiconductor chips and model weights, sophisticated data that improves an AI model's ability to emulate human reasoning.