Humain, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s new state, is working with NVIDIA to build AI infrastructure, develop talent and launch large-scale digital systems.
The effort includes plans to install AI “factories” with up to 500 megawatts of energy. The site is filled with Nvidia GPUs, including the Grace Blackwell GB300 supercomputer connected through Nvidia’s Infiniband network. The goal is to base the training model, run simulations, and manage complex AI deployments.
Most of the pushes are about control. Saudi Arabia wants to build trained sovereign AI using local data, languages and systems. By building your own infrastructure, you avoid relying on foreign cloud providers. The shift coincides with a wider trend as governments around the world begin to question the construction of AI tools, where the data is, and who controls it.
Humain aims to give Saudi Arabia more talk in the process. Other countries have launched national AI strategies, but Humain stands out for its structure. It’s not just a policy firm or a research fund. Instead, it works across the entire AI value chain, including building data centers, managing data, training models, and application deployment. Few countries have a single body that does this as well with widespread tolerance.
For example, NAIS 2.0 in Singapore focuses on public sector use cases and talent development, as well as the UAE approach that emphasizes frameworks and governance. China has established AI labs in several cities, but it tends to work in silos. Humain brings elements with a central goal. We will make Saudi Arabia not just AI users but producers.
The ambitions are clear, but there are trade-offs. Running a data center with a high GPU at this scale uses a lot of power. The 500 megawatt figure is well beyond the typical enterprise deployment. Globally, environmental costs for AI are becoming increasingly concerned. Microsoft and Google are reporting increased emissions from AI-related infrastructure. Saudi Arabia needs to explain how AI factories will be driven, especially if they want to align their own sustainability goals under Vision 2030.
Our partnership with Nvidia includes training for people as well as machines. Humain and Nvidia say they will implement large educational programs to enable thousands of Saudi developers to acquire AI, robotics, simulation and digital twin skills. Building local talent is a central part of the effort, without which infrastructure would not reach its full potential.
“AI, like electricity and the internet, is an essential infrastructure for every country,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia. “Together with human beings, we are building an AI infrastructure that will help Saudi Arabian people and businesses realize their bold vision of the Kingdom.”
One of the tools that Humain plans to deploy is Nvidia Omniverse. It is used as a multi-tenant platform for industries such as logistics, manufacturing, and energy. These sectors can create virtual versions of the real system digital twins to test, monitor and improve operations. The idea is simple. Simulate it before building or run stress tests in digital format to save time and money later.
This type of simulation and optimization supports Saudi Arabia’s broader push towards the automation and smart industry. It fits into the broader narrative of moving from oil to advanced technology as the core pillar of the economy.
The deal fits Nvidia’s global strategy, with the company having similar partnerships in India, the UAE and Europe. Saudi Arabia offers strong government support, deep funding and a promise to become a new AI hub in the Middle East. In return, Nvidia offers a technical backbone (GPUs, software platforms, and know-how to run them).
Partnerships are useful for both parties. While Saudi Arabia gets the tools to build AI from scratch and build a new economic version of its own, Nvidia gains long-term customers and foothold in the growing market.
There is still a gap to see. How does Humain control the use of that model? Are they open to researchers and startups, or are they strictly controlled by the state? What role do local universities and private companies play? Also, can workforce development respond to rapid infrastructure construction?
Humain is not just a building for now. This structure suggests a long-term bet. It links computing power, national priorities, and changes in AI development and deployment. Saudi Arabia wants more than access. I want influence. And Humain is a building to work with Nvidia to get there.
(Photo: Mariia Shalabaeva)
See also: Huawei’s AI hardware breakthrough challenges Nvidia’s advantage
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