Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip
US technology majors including Nvidia, Amazon Web Services, and Advanced Micro Devices said on Tuesday that they plan to work with Saudi Public Investment Fund's recently announced artificial intelligence company Humain.
The new company was unveiled on Monday, before US President Donald Trump's visit to Riyadh.
“Humain will provide a comprehensive range of AI services, products and tools, including next-generation data centres, AI infrastructure and cloud capabilities, and advanced AI models and solutions,” a news release said.
Shortly after the announcement, US chip maker Nvidia said it wanted to work with Humain to “help transform Saudi Arabia into a global powerhouse in AI”.
Nvidia said that it would offer Saudi Arabia several hundred thousand of its sought-after graphics processing units (GPUs), and an Nvidia GB300 Grace Blackwell AI supercomputer.
The company also indicated it would work with Humain in Saudi Arabia on large-scale training to give thousands of citizens and developers hands-on experience in advanced AI.
“AI, like electricity and internet, is essential infrastructure for every nation,” said Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang. “Together with Humain, we are building AI infrastructure for the people and companies of Saudi Arabia to realise the bold vision of the kingdom.”
Amazon – owner of Amazon Web Services, the world’s biggest cloud services provider – said it would be working with Humain through a $5 billion strategic partnership to build a groundbreaking “AI Zone”.
“This first-of-a-kind AI Zone will bring together multiple innovative capabilities, including dedicated AWS AI infrastructure and servers with world-class semiconductors,” Amazon said in a statement.
Meanwhile, US chip maker Advanced Micro Devices, considered a rival of Nvidia, also plans to work with Humain, providing 500 megawatts of AI computing capacity over the next five years, in a $10 billion investment.
AMD chief executive Lisa Su described the company's investment in Humain as a “milestone in advancing global AI infrastructure”.
“The way the public investment fund was able to secure those tech partnerships, and then move so quickly from just being investors to being partners was impressive,” Mohammed Soliman, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and technology adviser at McLarty Associates, said of the number of announcements made in Saudi Arabia during Mr Trump's visit.
“So I think the region as a whole is moving together forward” on AI.
Although not connected with the Humain endeavor, US database and cloud company Oracle made announced it would remain committed to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic initiative, which it said was “accelerating at lightning speed because of President Trump”.
It also promised an investment of at least $14 billion in Saudi Arabia throughout the next 10 years to bolster cloud and AI technology.
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Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
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Emirate: Dubai
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Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures
