Amazon is doubling down on its presence in the Middle East with a sweeping new partnership with Humain, the Saudi AI firm backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two companies will invest more than $5 billion to establish a dedicated “AI Zone” in Saudi Arabia, aimed at becoming a regional and global hub for artificial intelligence development.
According to Amazon, the AI Zone will include AWS-powered infrastructure such as servers, networks, and training facilities, alongside a suite of certification programs. This initiative builds on Amazon Web Services’ ongoing expansion in the region and will provide Saudi-based AI startups with privileged access to tools and support directly from AWS.
Humain, which is financed by the country’s sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF), is positioning itself as the cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s long-term AI ambitions. Amazon joins a growing list of U.S. tech heavyweights—including Nvidia, AMD, Google, and Oracle—either partnering with Humain or investing in the kingdom’s AI ecosystem, often lured by massive funding from the PIF.
As part of the broader strategic cooperation, Humain will co-develop AI solutions using AWS technologies. The two companies will also collaborate to offer resources to domestic developers, startups, and government-backed AI initiatives within the kingdom. These investments are intended to make Saudi Arabia a leader in AI innovation while ensuring that core data and infrastructure remain under national control.
Saudi data localization mandates have accelerated the need for on-ground AI infrastructure. Foreign tech companies hoping to do business in the kingdom must now store data locally. This has led to a flurry of regional expansion plans by major U.S. cloud providers. Last year, Amazon committed $5.3 billion to launch an AWS region in Saudi Arabia, expected to go live in 2026. The AI Zone partnership is billed as a separate and additional investment beyond that infrastructure pledge, though Amazon has not disclosed whether the two initiatives will share resources.
The announcement coincided with a U.S.-Saudi tech investment forum attended by former President Donald Trump, where the Trump-aligned administration introduced a new initiative allowing U.S. suppliers to engage more freely with Saudi AI firms. This development clears the path for deeper U.S.-Saudi tech collaboration, especially in semiconductors and AI computing, where firms like Nvidia and AMD are seen as essential to global AI development.
As geopolitical tech rivalries intensify, Saudi Arabia is leveraging its capital and policy flexibility to attract global firms and talent. With the creation of this AI Zone, the kingdom is not just importing infrastructure—it’s laying the groundwork to become a serious player in the international AI race.
