UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has held separate high-level discussions with SpaceX founder Elon Musk and BlackRock chairman Larry Fink, signaling the country’s deepening interest in artificial intelligence and the commercial space industry. The talks underscore the UAE’s strategy of engaging with global tech leaders to explore investment and collaboration opportunities.
Quick Facts
- President held talks with Musk and Fink.
- Discussions focused on AI and space sector opportunities.
- UAE entities are already invested in their companies.
Strategic Dialogues with Tech Titans
According to the state-run Wam news agency, Sheikh Mohamed spoke with Elon Musk by telephone, covering potential partnerships in AI and space. Their conversation also touched on global collaboration and knowledge sharing to advance the development of new technologies.
Larry Fink’s meeting with the UAE President took place in person in Abu Dhabi. Their discussion centered on global economic trends, the expanding role of AI, and using advanced tech to fuel investment and economic growth. Specific details beyond the general topics were not disclosed for either meeting.
Building on Existing UAE Investments
These high-level meetings are rooted in a history of significant UAE investments in ventures linked to both Musk and Fink.
In June 2022, Abu Dhabi-listed International Holding Company (IHC) and Alpha Dhabi Holding each invested $25 million in SpaceX. IHC, the Middle East’s largest listed holding company, is part of a major business group chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President’s brother.
The UAE’s sovereign wealth fund, Mubadala, also invested $436 million in BlackRock’s bitcoin ETF during the fourth quarter of 2024. Further cementing the relationship, IHC announced plans in May 2025 to partner with BlackRock on a $1 billion, AI-driven reinsurance platform based in the UAE.
Spotlight on SpaceX’s Public Debut
The discussions come as SpaceX, which merged with Musk’s xAI venture in February, targets a massive $1.75 trillion valuation for its upcoming public listing. The sheer scale of the IPO is expected to attract major interest from Gulf sovereign wealth funds and other institutional investors across the region.
About SpaceX
Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company developed the partially reusable Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch vehicles and the Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to enable people to live on other planets. Its Starlink division operates a growing constellation of satellites to provide global internet coverage.
Source: AGBI
