NVIDIA to Supply Over 18,000 AI Chips to Saudi Arabia's Humain, Boosting Regional AI Ambitions
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia that the company plans to sell over 18,000 of its cutting-edge AI chips to Humain, a Saudi-based cloud and AI infrastructure provider. This significant deal underscores the Kingdom's growing focus on building its own artificial intelligence capabilities.
Key Details of the Deal
The announcement was made by Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, during his participation in the DeepFest conference in Riyadh. The agreement involves the sale of over 18,000 AI chips to Humain, a company focused on developing cloud infrastructure and AI solutions within Saudi Arabia. While the specific chip model (likely high-performance GPUs like the H100 or B200) and the exact financial value of the deal were not explicitly detailed in the announcement as reported, the number of chips signals a substantial investment in AI infrastructure.
Strategic Importance for Saudi Arabia and MENA
This acquisition of a large number of advanced AI chips is a pivotal step for Saudi Arabia in its ambition to become a leader in artificial intelligence in the MENA region. By securing this hardware, companies like Humain can build the foundational infrastructure required for large-scale AI model training, deployment, and innovation locally. This aligns with the Kingdom's broader strategic goals, such as those outlined in Vision 2030, which emphasize technological advancement, economic diversification, and the development of sovereign AI capabilities. The availability of such powerful computing resources within the country can attract global AI talent and companies, fostering a vibrant AI ecosystem.
About Humain
Humain is identified as a Saudi Arabian entity focused on providing cloud services and building AI infrastructure. Its role appears to be central to enabling local enterprises and potentially government initiatives to leverage cutting-edge AI technology without relying solely on foreign cloud providers for sensitive data or large-scale processing. The acquisition of NVIDIA's chips positions Humain as a key player in the Kingdom's burgeoning AI landscape.
Looking Ahead
The delivery and deployment of these 18,000+ chips will significantly boost Saudi Arabia's computing power for AI. This infrastructure is crucial for various applications, from scientific research and industrial automation to potentially developing large language models specific to Arabic language and regional contexts. The deal highlights the strong interest and investment appetite for advanced AI technologies within the MENA region, setting a precedent for future large-scale hardware acquisitions and infrastructure development aimed at achieving AI self-sufficiency.
Source: entarabi.com