As part of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s first official trip to the United States, the United Arab emirates (UAE) President was scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden on Monday with AI cooperation high on the agenda. There is a willingness to pursue closer UAE-US ties, in a bid to secure enhanced access to American technology. The dialogue will also include concerns about the wider regional conflict involving Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah, but it is primarily about self-interest. “The purpose of the visit is really from an Emirati perspective, it’s investing in our future through an economic lens,” said Anwar Gargash, the Emirati President’s most senior diplomatic advisor. “We are more in a geo-economic phase” he added, in a sign of moving the conversation beyond oil and defense, toward emerging sectors such as AI, renewables, and climate. Security will continue to be an important aspect of the US-UAE relationship, but it is not confined to that strategic purpose.