Newly launched AI venture Humain was the star of the show, signing multi-bn agreements with US tech giants, including Nvidia, AMD, Groq, Global AI and Amazon. The Public Investment Fund named Tareq Amin (LinkedIn), former CEO of Aramco Digital, as Humain’s chief executive.

#1- Amazon: Humain and Amazon Web Services (AWS) will jointly invest over USD 5 bn to establish an AI Zone in the Kingdom, according to an emailed statement seen by EnterpriseAM. The zone will host AWS’s advanced infrastructure, including AI servers, cloud services like Bedrock and SageMaker, and support for Arabic large language models.

The collaboration includes plans to expand AI training programs in the Kingdom, with 100k citizens and 10k women set to receive cloud and AI skills through AWS initiatives, the statement said.

#2- AMD: Humain and AMD will invest up to USD 10 bn over five years to deploy 500 MW of AI infrastructure, creating a global, open, and scalable computer network spanning Saudi Arabia to the US, AMD said in a press release. Initial deployments are already underway, with multi-exaflop capacity targeted by early 2026. The platform will support enterprise, startup, and sovereign AI workloads.

Who’s doing what: Humain will handle the delivery of hyperscale data centers, sustainable energy systems, and global fiber networks, while AMD will provide its full AI compute portfolio, including Instinct GPUs, EPYC CPUs, and other types of hardware.

#3- Nvidia: Humain and Nvidia will jointly develop 500 MW of AI data centers over five years, starting with a supercomputer that will comprise of 18k GB300 Grace Blackwell chips provided by Nvidia, the US chipmaker said in a press release. The value of the project was not disclosed.

The project will include deploying Nvidia’s Omniverse platform for digital twin and robotics applications, as well as launching large-scale training programs to grow Saudi Arabia’s AI talent pool.

#4- Cisco: The global networking firm announced an initiative with Humain to build open, scalable, and cost-efficient AI infrastructure, according to a statement. The initiative will be “the cornerstone in a wider set of new investments in research, talent and innovation,” the statement said without disclosing the value of investments.

The company plans to work on AI-driven digital infrastructure for Riyadh Expo 2030 and the 2034 World Cup, in addition to establishing an AI institute at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and provide free AI and cuberecurity training for 500k learners over the next five years.

What about Global AI? Humain inked a multi-bn USD AI collaboration agreement with US-based Global AI partner, Bloomberg said, citing a source familiar with the matter. The agreement will grant Humain access to Global AI’s US data centers and eventually a center in Saudi Arabia, subject to US approval. Global AI is currently building a data center in New York, set to launch in June, and plans to build more data centers in the US and the kingdom.

.. and Groq? The PIF is tapping US chipmaker Groq to handle inference operations for Humain, Semafor reports, citing two sources it says in the know. The agreement aims to utilize Groq’s claimed superior inference capabilities, compared to Nvidia chips.

REMEMBER- Grog is working on building the world’s largest AI inference node in Saudi: Groq, a California-based startup, has previously partnered with Aramco Digital to invest USD 1.5 bn in building the world’s largest AI inference node in the Kingdom. The facility will host Groq’s language models, onboard developers, and support high-volume token processing.

We knew a big push was coming: Hours before official announcements, the Trump administration was said to be finalizing agreements that would allow Saudi Arabia to purchase advanced AI chips from US companies like Nvidia and AMD. A similar arrangement with the UAE is expected to follow that will include UAE’s G42. The decision marks a sharp departure from the Biden administration’s tighter controls, which aimed to prevent potential tech transfers to China.

The announcements come amid US concerns about sensitive tech finding its way to China, our biggest trading partner. One proposal being discussed would give the US oversight over data centers using American chips, though the specifics are still being worked out, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg,

The two sides are also exploring data embassies — a system that would let data centers operate under foreign legal protections — to attract global partners while maintaining security standards, the sources said.

No AI restrictions between friends: White House AI and crypto adviser David Sachs said that US restrictions on AI and semiconductor technologies do not apply to strategic partners like Saudi Arabia, stressing the need for global cooperation to keep the US at the forefront of the sector. Sachs still voiced concerns about semiconductor diversion to China, but advocated for measures that don’t hinder legitimate sales to compliant partners.

DATA POINT- Tech and AI are non-oil pillars for the Kingdom: Venture capital investment in Saudi Arabia grew 49% from 2020 to 2024, surpassing USD 1 bn in 2023, MAGNITT’s Farah Al Nahlawi told Al Arabiya. In 1Q 2025, Saudi tech investments made up 58% of the region’s total, with AI contributing 10% of Saudi venture capital in 2024.

OTHER TECH ANNOUNCEMENTS-

  • Elon Musk confirmed Starlink has been approved for maritime and aviation use in Saudi Arabia, and floated the introduction of self-driving vehicles and taxis to the Kingdom.
  • Self-driving cars are to launch in Saudi Arabia this year, said Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshah i at the forum.
  • Homegrown workforce management solutions startup WakeCap raised USD 28 mn in new funding during the forum, Al Arabiya reported.
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