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October 7, 2025 | Op-Ed | Technology

Saudi Arabia is rapidly stepping into the global artificial intelligence arena through HUMAIN, a public investment fund-owned company that launched this past May. It was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. HUMAIN aims to cover the entire AI value chain and is already reshaping the Kingdom’s technological ambitions through major investments, partnerships, and a fast-paced growth plan.

Based in Riyadh, HUMAIN operates under the direct guidance of the Crown Prince and is led by CEO Tareq Amin, alongside a team of experienced executives both male and female. Amin envisioned HUMAIN as more than a transactional platform, aiming for a transformational approach in both its technology and the partnerships it forms.

The story of HUMAIN began in 2024. In the span of only one year, it developed and launched, quickly capturing global attention. The company focuses on four key areas: infrastructure, cloud, data, and AI models/applications. Its projects include building next-generation data centers, creating high-performance computing systems, and developing one of the most advanced Arabic language models in the world.

HUMAIN is also planning to launch HUMAIN Ventures, a $10 billion venture capital fund which will invest in startups across the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. This positions Saudi Arabia as a significant player in the global AI ecosystem. Amin emphasized in an interview with The Financial Times, “We are not taking it slow. Whoever reaches the end line first is going to secure a good chunk of the market share.”

The company’s ambitions are supported by projections from the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) which estimates that AI will add $15.6 trillion to the global economy by 2030 and create nearly 100 million jobs in 2025. HUMAIN plans to reach 1.9 GW of data center capacity by 2030, scaling up to 6.6 GW in just four years. The company aims to handle 7% of global AI model training.

HUMAIN’s rapid growth is supported by major agreements worth $23 billion with US tech companies, including NVIDIA, AMD, Amazon Web Services, and Qualcomm. A key highlight is the new AMD x HUMAIN joint venture, a $10 billion investment to deploy 500 MW of AI compute capacity over the next five years.

The partnership will create a global AI cloud powerhouse, leveraging Saudi Arabia’s abundant land and energy resources to deliver the world’s most open, scalable, and cost-effective AI infrastructure. This venture will expand internationally, with its first overseas data center in the US to serve clients worldwide. CEOs Amin (HUMAIN) and Su (AMD) emphasized in an interview that it will cut AI developers’ total cost of ownership by 30%, making it a global leader in AI training and development.

Saudi Arabia’s financial resources combined with HUMAIN’s approach give the Kingdom a unique position in the AI industry which has been dominated by the US and China for decades. Its location makes it a well-suited hub for AI research to take off, making it capable of bigger investments in the future with other global trade countries. As a part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s long-term plan to diversify its economy and lead in advanced technologies, HUMAIN is a change-seeking initiative.

What makes this especially significant is how HUMAIN aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to shift away from its dependence on oil. By positioning itself at the forefront of artificial intelligence, the Kingdom is signaling that it does not want to solely be a participant, but a leader in shaping the future of global technology. HUMAIN’s work not only accelerates innovation, but also highlights Saudi Arabia’s motives and mission within the artificial intelligence community.

One of the clearest examples of HUMAIN’s ambitions taking shape is Allam, the first large-scale Arabic-language AI model. It is built to understand both classical Arabic and regional dialects. Unlike global AI models that often struggle with nuances of Arabic, Allam reflects the cultural, political, and linguistic depth of the language that is spoken by over 350 million people worldwide. Amin described Allam as “the best Arabic-language model yet,” emphasizing that it is proof the Arab world can innovate and deploy AI technologies on par with leading global players.

Allam is initially available through HUMAIN chat. It is a free Arabic-language app similar to ChatGPT, but it is more than just a consumer project. Amin stated that “ChatGPT will never have the datasets that we do.” He continues, “I want the Arab world to start asking: why don’t we build a coalition to create AI models that reflect our culture and values?” It is the foundation for a broader strategy to empower Arab societies and economies tfhrough AI. HUMAIN plans to develop a marketplace where businesses, developers, and government sectors can leverage the model. They can then use Allam to branch out to different fields, such as medicine or tourism, where the Arabic language is heavily relied upon.

The Kingdom’s AI ambitions serve a dual purpose: strengthening its global influence and enhancing its domestic development. By investing in the next-generation data centers, advanced computing systems, and cutting-edge AI models, Saudi Arabia is building the infrastructure to support both economic diversification and long-term technological independence.

For US technology companies, Saudi Arabia is becoming a valuable partner, offering both funding and a growing market. The Kingdom’s focus on American partnerships could help smooth political concerns in Washington and speed up access to advanced AI hardware and expertise. This could also place more competitive pressure on China, particularly in emerging markets where AI is still developing.

In the broader AI world, HUMAIN represents a third major hub of influence: state-backed, strategically located, and digitally capable. If the company meets its ambitious goals, Saudi Arabia could become a central hub for AI training and deployment, especially for Arabic-language technologies.

HUMAIN is more than just a tech company. It is a strategic move with economic and geopolitical implications. With Saudi Arabia moving quickly, its impact on the global AI industry may come a lot sooner than expected.