DUBAI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - United Arab Emirates-based

artificial intelligence company G42 has teamed up with U.S.

chipmaker Nvidia ( NVDA ) to work on climate tech, G42 said on

Friday, ahead of the first-ever visit to the White House by a

president of the UAE next week.

The Gulf-based company said in a statement the two firms

would work together develop AI solutions aimed at boosting

weather forecasting accuracy globally and will set up an

operational base and climate tech lab in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE, led by government-backed G42, is investing heavily

in AI to help diversify its economy away from oil and UAE-based

companies have forged several deals with U.S. firms recently.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) announced in April it was investing $1.5

billion in G42, while this week the two firms said they would

open two centres in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi-backed investment company MGX is also joining as a

general partner in a $30 billion fund with BlackRock ( BLK ) and

Microsoft ( MSFT ) to invest in AI infrastructure.

Still, Washington has been increasingly concerned about the

UAE and other Middle Eastern countries becoming a conduit for

advanced U.S. AI technology reaching China. Last year it imposed

new curbs on AI chip exports, imposing a licensing requirement

on their shipment to these countries.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is

scheduled to visit Washington on Monday.

He will meet U.S. President Joe Biden and discuss Middle

East regional security issues as well as advanced technology and

AI development, the White House said.

He is also set to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris as

well as business executives, Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser

to the UAE's president told journalists in a briefing on

Thursday, adding that the main focus of the visit would be

economy and cooperation in fields such as AI.

"Sometimes people like to talk about some tensions in the

relationship, but the big story is that this is our most

important strategic relationship," Gargash said.