DUBAI: Humain, Saudi Arabia’s new artificial intelligence company, has begun construction of its first data centers in the Kingdom, and plans to bring them online in early 2026 using semiconductors imported from the US, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.
Locations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, and Dammam, in the Eastern Province, are expected to launch in the second quarter, each with an initial capacity of up to 100 megawatts, CEO Tareq Amin told Bloomberg in an interview.
Humain is currently sourcing semiconductors for its data centers from US chipmakers, including Nvidia’s latest AI chips, for which it has received local regulatory approval, Amin told Bloomberg.
In May, Nvidia said it would sell hundreds of thousands of AI chips in Saudi Arabia, with a first tranche of 18,000 of its newest “Blackwell” chips going to Humain.
Nvidia declined to comment on the report, while Humain did not respond to Reuters when contacted.
A number of US technology firms announced AI deals in the Middle East in May, as US President Donald Trump secured $600 billion in commitments from Saudi Arabia to US companies during a tour of Gulf states.
Chip designer Advanced Micro Devices also announced a deal with Humain, saying it has formed a $10 billion collaboration.
Humain was launched in May under the Public Investment Fund, and is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It offers AI services and products, including data centers, AI infrastructure, cloud capabilities and advanced AI models.
Saudi Arabia’s Humain to launch data centers with US chips in early 2026, Bloomberg News reports
https://arab.news/9ajbq
Saudi Arabia’s Humain to launch data centers with US chips in early 2026, Bloomberg News reports
Saudi POS transactions see 20% surge to hit $4bn: SAMA
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s total point-of-sale transactions surged by 20.4 percent in the week ending Nov. 29, to reach SR15.1 billion ($4 billion).
According to the latest data from the Saudi Central Bank, the number of POS transactions represented a 9.1 percent week-on-week increase to 240.25 million compared to 220.15 million the week before.
Most categories saw positive change across the period, with spending on laundry services registering the biggest uptick at 36 percent to SR65.1 million. Recreation followed, with a 35.3 percent increase to SR255.99 million.
Expenditure on apparel and clothing saw an increase of 34.6 percent, followed by a 27.8 percent increase in spending on telecommunication. Jewelry outlays rose 5.6 percent to SR354.45 million.
Data revealed decreases across only three sectors, led by education, which saw the largest dip at 40.4 percent to reach SR62.26 million.
Spending on airlines in Saudi Arabia fell by 25.2 percent, coinciding with major global flight disruptions. This followed an urgent Airbus recall of 6,000 A320-family aircraft after solar radiation was linked to potential flight-control data corruption. Saudi carriers moved swiftly to implement the mandatory fixes.
Flyadeal completed all updates and rebooked affected passengers, while flynas updated 20 aircraft with no schedule impact. Their rapid response contained the disruption, allowing operations to return to normal quickly.
Expenditure on food and beverages saw a 28.4 percent increase to SR2.31 billion, claiming the largest share of the POS. Spending on restaurants and cafes followed with an uptick of 22.3 percent to SR1.90 billion.
The Kingdom’s key urban centers mirrored the national decline. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 14.1 percent surge to SR5.08 billion, up from SR4.46 billion the previous week. The number of transactions in the capital reached 75.2 million, up 4.4 percent week-on-week.
In Jeddah, transaction values increased by 18.1 percent to SR2.03 billion, while Dammam reported a 14 percent surge to SR708.08 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the nation’s broader digital economy.
