Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Accelerates AI Ambitions Through Major Partnerships and Infrastructure Push
The PIF-backed AI firm unveils global growth strategy with Aramco stake, dual listing target and landmark data‐centre contracts
Saudi Arabia has escalated its artificial intelligence ambitions through its state-backed company HUMAIN, unveiling a string of partnerships and infrastructure plans aimed at establishing the kingdom as a leading global AI hub.
Launched in May 2025 under the sponsorship of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), HUMAIN has set bold targets for listings, chip procurement and ecosystem development.
A non-binding term sheet signed on 28 October 2025 outlines the energy giant Saudi Aramco acquiring a “significant minority stake” in HUMAIN while PIF retains majority control.
The agreement stipulates the consolidation of AI assets, talent and capabilities under HUMAIN and signals Riyadh’s intent to integrate state-owned energy infrastructure with advanced digital platforms.
At the same time, HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin stated the company plans to list on both the Saudi exchange and the Nasdaq within the next three to four years.
The move would place the firm on a global funding stage and open its growth vector to international investors.
During the kingdom’s annual investment forum, HUMAIN disclosed multiple major deals: a roughly US$3 billion agreement with leading private equity firm Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to build data centres in Saudi Arabia; and partnerships with chip-makers and cloud-providers, including Qualcomm, which will supply rack-level infrastructure for a 200-megawatt deployment.
HUMAIN’s strategic roadmap spans four “pillars”: next-generation data-centres, cloud and infrastructure, advanced AI models (including Arab-centric large-language models), and enterprise solutions.
Analysts highlight Saudi Arabia’s strength—ample energy, land and finance—to implement such infrastructure, but also note obstacles such as securing top-tier semiconductor access and building talent.
At a public forum, Amin addressed export-control concerns by pledging HUMAIN will refrain from sourcing equipment from Huawei Technologies, aligning with U.S. security expectations; this move is understood to facilitate Washington’s licensing of advanced chips to Saudi Arabia.
With these moves, the kingdom advances its broader Vision 2030 agenda of diversifying beyond oil and positioning technology as a growth engine.
The coming months will test HUMAIN’s ability to deliver operational capacity—data-centres, chip supply chains and workforce development—and whether Saudi Arabia’s ambitious AI trajectory translates into sustained global relevance.
Launched in May 2025 under the sponsorship of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), HUMAIN has set bold targets for listings, chip procurement and ecosystem development.
A non-binding term sheet signed on 28 October 2025 outlines the energy giant Saudi Aramco acquiring a “significant minority stake” in HUMAIN while PIF retains majority control.
The agreement stipulates the consolidation of AI assets, talent and capabilities under HUMAIN and signals Riyadh’s intent to integrate state-owned energy infrastructure with advanced digital platforms.
At the same time, HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin stated the company plans to list on both the Saudi exchange and the Nasdaq within the next three to four years.
The move would place the firm on a global funding stage and open its growth vector to international investors.
During the kingdom’s annual investment forum, HUMAIN disclosed multiple major deals: a roughly US$3 billion agreement with leading private equity firm Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to build data centres in Saudi Arabia; and partnerships with chip-makers and cloud-providers, including Qualcomm, which will supply rack-level infrastructure for a 200-megawatt deployment.
HUMAIN’s strategic roadmap spans four “pillars”: next-generation data-centres, cloud and infrastructure, advanced AI models (including Arab-centric large-language models), and enterprise solutions.
Analysts highlight Saudi Arabia’s strength—ample energy, land and finance—to implement such infrastructure, but also note obstacles such as securing top-tier semiconductor access and building talent.
At a public forum, Amin addressed export-control concerns by pledging HUMAIN will refrain from sourcing equipment from Huawei Technologies, aligning with U.S. security expectations; this move is understood to facilitate Washington’s licensing of advanced chips to Saudi Arabia.
With these moves, the kingdom advances its broader Vision 2030 agenda of diversifying beyond oil and positioning technology as a growth engine.
The coming months will test HUMAIN’s ability to deliver operational capacity—data-centres, chip supply chains and workforce development—and whether Saudi Arabia’s ambitious AI trajectory translates into sustained global relevance.
