Saudi Arabia’s ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, launched an AI company called Humain to bolster the country’s artificial intelligence sector. The company plans to build out the country’s AI infrastructure, including the construction of data centers.
This news arrives as Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Mark Zuckerberg are expected to attend a U.S.-Saudi investment forum on Tuesday, where AI will likely take center stage. President Trump is also preparing to visit the country this week as part of a tour of the region.
Humain is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which manages assets worth around $940 billion and is part of the Crown Prince’s ambitions to diversify his country’s finances beyond the lucrative oil industry.
American tech giants have looked to the wealthy PIF as a source of capital. Companies like Google and Salesforce have also recently worked with the PIF on AI-related projects and investments.
Amanda Silberling is a senior writer at TechCrunch covering the intersection of technology and culture. She has also written for publications like Polygon, MTV, the Kenyon Review, NPR, and Business Insider. She is the co-host of Wow If True, a podcast about internet culture, with science fiction author Isabel J. Kim. Prior to joining TechCrunch, she worked as a grassroots organizer, museum educator, and film festival coordinator. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and served as a Princeton in Asia Fellow in Laos.
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