American technology firms have entered into an agreement with the Saudi Arabian company Humain for the large-scale development of the artificial intelligence sector in the region. The initiative is accompanied by President Donald Trump's trip to the country.
Nvidia
Nvidia will sell more than 18,000 of its latest AI chips to Humain. This was announced by the CEO of the American chipmaker Jensen Huang during a trip to the region that included Trump and leaders of other companies.
Blackwell chips will be used in data centers with a total capacity of 500 MW in Saudi Arabia. Nvidia reported on the delivery of GB300 — one of the company's advanced products.
«I am very glad to be here to help celebrate the grand opening and launch of Humain. Saudi Arabia needs to build an AI infrastructure in its country so that you can participate and help shape the future of this incredibly transformative technology,» said Huang.
Humain is owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. The company will focus on developing AI models and infrastructure for data centers. The firm plans to 'launch several hundred thousand Nvidia graphics processors.'
«Thank you very much, Jensen. Tim Cook is not here, but you are,» Trump commented.
Amazon
Amazon announced a joint effort with Humain to create a 'revolutionary AI zone' to accelerate the adoption of technology in Saudi Arabia and around the world. The partnership involves more than $5 billion in investments in the sector.
«This collaboration aligns with Saudi Arabia's development strategy until 2030 and is based on the kingdom's promise in 2024 to invest in creating an economy based on artificial intelligence. This represents a significant step towards realizing the state's ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence,» the statement said.
Amazon has committed to providing the country with its advanced server and networking infrastructure capabilities, AI and machine learning services, including Amazon SageMaker AI, Amazon Bedrock, and Amazon Q.
As part of the cooperation, Humain intends to develop AI solutions using Amazon Web Services technology for end customers. The firms will also create a unified market for AI agents.
AMD
AMD is another American chipmaker that Humain has teamed up with to create AI infrastructure over the next five years. The agreement involves investments of $10 billion.
Humain will oversee the development of data centers, sustainable energy systems, and global fiber optic connections, while AMD will provide chips and software. The project will create data centers that 'stretch from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States.'
«Our investments in Humain are a significant milestone in the development of a global AI infrastructure. Together we are creating a meaningful artificial intelligence platform that provides performance, openness, and reach at an unprecedented level,» said AMD CEO Lisa Su.
Global AI
The partnerships with Nvidia, Amazon, and AMD are not the end. The American tech company Global AI intends to collaborate with Humain.
According to media reports, the agreement is valued at billions of dollars.
Global AI is building a data center in New York that will use Nvidia chips. It offers AI infrastructure for private companies and sovereign states.
As part of the partnership, Humain will gain access to Global AI data centers in the USA.
Expansion of cooperation
Trump's visit to Riyadh is related to attracting foreign investments to the country. The trip includes stops in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud promised to increase investments in the USA by $600 billion. Trump is seeking investments of $1 trillion.
According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration is preparing to announce a deal that would provide Saudi Arabia with broader access to advanced semiconductors and pave the way for increasing the capacity of data centers in the Gulf country. The policy does not allay concerns among some American officials regarding its ties to China.
The governments of the two countries reached an early-stage agreement, but they still need to work out a number of key details. First and foremost, the USA is concerned that China may gain access to chips sent to Saudi Arabia.
Since 2023, Washington has required companies to obtain a license to sell AI processors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries, largely due to concerns that the equipment could fall under Beijing's control.
Last year, the Biden administration discussed possible options for supply restrictions that would help protect American technology from China, while not deterring third countries from the equipment.
Legislative regulation
In early May, it became known about the preparation of a bill that requires American chipmakers to verify the location of AI chips after their sale. The efforts are aimed at combating the smuggling of processors to China in violation of export control rules.
The technology for tracking the location of chips is based on their connection to a secure computer server. The system will use the time it takes for the signal to reach the center. This approach will allow for the determination of the processor's location at the country level.
Later, Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas introduced relevant legislation. If passed, geo-tracking functions will be mandatory for high-performance graphics cards.
Recall that in January, Donald Trump announced private sector investments totaling $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure.