Latest news with #Humain
The Verge
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Apple brings its online retail store to Saudi Arabia
Apple has launched its online store in Saudi Arabia, according to an announcement on Tuesday. The move, set to be followed by physical retail locations, will let users in the country browse through and purchase Apple products on its site for the first time. As part of its expansion into Saudi Arabia, Apple will offer support and engraving in Arabic on its Saudi Arabian site. Apple is releasing its Store app in Saudi Arabia as well, and also plans on opening its first physical locations in 2026. Though Apple previously offered its App Store in the country, people in Saudi Arabia had to purchase Apple products through authorized resellers. Apple's store launch aligns with a broader trend of tech companies investing more in Saudi Arabia, despite the country facing numerous human rights issues. During President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East in May, Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the formation of Humain, a new AI company owned by the country's Public Investment Fund. Several US-based tech firms, including Amazon, Google, Nvidia, and AMD, revealed multi-billion-dollar partnerships with the state-backed firm on the same day. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Emma Roth Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Apple Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All iPhone Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Policy Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Tahawul Tech
18-07-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
xAI to lease data centre capacity from Saudi Arabia
xAI is in discussions with Humain to lease data centre capacity for its compute-intensive AI models. Bloomberg reported talks are in the early stages, but an arrangement could include several gigawatts of capacity for xAI. Humain is backed Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The news agency noted such an arrangement could be years in the making since Humain is yet to break ground on its infrastructure build. Financial Times recently reported xAI was considering a further funding round in which PIF could play a part. Source: Mobile World Live Image Credit: xAI
Leaders
17-07-2025
- Business
- Leaders
Musk's xAI Explores Data Center Deal with Saudi-Backed Humain
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence venture, xAI, is in early-stage discussions to lease data center capacity in Saudi Arabia, according to people familiar with the matter. The move is part of xAI's broader strategy to expand its computing infrastructure in regions with low-cost energy and political alignment. xAI is in talks with two potential partners: Humain, a Saudi-backed AI firm offering a multi-gigawatt capacity deal, and a second unnamed company currently developing a smaller, 200-megawatt facility that could be operational much sooner. The individuals requested anonymity as the discussions are private. While Humain's offer is ambitious, it's still years away from being realized. Despite support from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, the company has yet to break ground on much of the promised infrastructure. Any agreement with xAI would therefore be a long-term bet, with no immediate impact on the startup's current computing needs. The second potential partner, already in the process of constructing its 200-megawatt facility, presents a more viable short-term solution. In both scenarios, xAI would lease — not own — space in the data centers to power its AI models, which require significant computational resources. xAI,Humain Representatives for xAI, Elon Musk, and Humain declined to comment. The competition for data center capacity is intensifying as companies like xAI, OpenAI, and Meta race to train and run large AI models, including chatbots such as xAI's Grok. These facilities are expensive to build and energy-intensive to operate. If Humain's multi-gigawatt proposal comes to fruition, it could rank among the largest data centers globally — a one-gigawatt center can consume as much electricity as nearly 900,000 homes annually, according to Carbon Collective. 'It makes a lot of sense. As power demand rises, balancing energy costs with operational needs will be key,' said Kathryn Huff, former head of nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy and now at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Speaking on Bloomberg Television, Huff suggested that countries investing in new nuclear infrastructure may become appealing hosts for data centers. Within Humain, infrastructure development is being led by Jeff Thomas, while commercial negotiations are managed by Saeed Al-Dobas. The project is also seen as an extension of Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's broader efforts to strengthen ties between Musk and the kingdom, including previous investments in xAI. The possible partnership with Saudi Arabia reflects Musk's global search for AI infrastructure in locations where electricity is cheap and financing is plentiful. The initiative comes as Musk faces mounting regulatory and political friction in the U.S., even while maintaining close ties with former President Donald Trump. xAI has already built a massive facility in Memphis, home to its 'Colossus' supercomputer, and Musk has hinted at another nearby expansion. Recently, xAI secured $10 billion in funding, evenly split between equity and debt. Musk has stated publicly that the company is well-capitalized, though how and where it will deploy that funding remains in flux. Ross Nordeen, a founding member of xAI and a former Tesla employee, is leading infrastructure negotiations for the startup. He is regarded internally as a key strategist and dealmaker, similar in role to Musk confidant Omead Afshar during their time at Tesla. On the technical side, former Tesla and X executive Andree Jacobson is helping steer development. In addition to Saudi Arabia, xAI is also exploring data center deals in the UAE and has held discussions with Abu Dhabi-based AI firm G42. Talks have also extended to several African countries with lower energy and operational costs. However, Saudi Arabia's combination of sovereign wealth and access to specialized AI chips currently makes it the most attractive prospect, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Related Topics: Saudi PIF Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan Spotted Sitting Next to Trump and Elon Musk at UFC Trump Names Elon Musk to Overhaul Government Efficiency Elon Musk in Future Investment Initiative: Robots to Exceed Humans by 2040 Short link : Post Views: 33
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
XAI in talks to lease data center capacity in Saudi Arabia: Report
Elon Musk's xAI is in discussions to lease data center capacity in Saudi Arabia, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The startup is in discussion with two potential partners: Humain, a Saudi-backed AI company offering xAI several gigawatts of capacity, and another company building a smaller but more immediately available 200-megawatt facility, according to the report. The Humain proposal remains distant, Bloomberg reported, as the startup launched by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is yet to break ground on much of the infrastructure it has pledged to build. The other company, which Bloomberg did not name, is already working on the 200-megawatt facility, making it a more realistic short-term option for xAI, the report said. XAI and Humain did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The AI startup has been ramping up its data center capacity to train more advanced models, as it looks to compete more effectively with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. Its supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, called Colossus, is touted as the largest in the world. Big tech companies are expected to spend $320 billion on AI this year, with Meta and CoreWeave announcing billions in spending on AI data centers this week. Saudi Arabia's PIF sovereign wealth fund is expected to play a large role as xAI looks to raise more money from investors in a deal that could value it between $170 billion and $200 billion, the Financial Times reported on Friday. Musk said that the AI startup is not seeking funding right now.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
xAI explores data centre expansion in Saudi Arabia
Elon Musk's AI company xAI is reportedly in negotiations to secure data centre capacity in Saudi Arabia. This move is part of xAI's broader strategy to expand its infrastructure in regions known for offering affordable energy and favourable political conditions, sources told Bloomberg. The company is currently holding preliminary discussions with two potential partners. One is Humain, an AI firm backed by Saudi Arabia. The proposal is still in the early stages, with much of its promised infrastructure yet to be developed. The other proposal is from a company with a 200MW facility under construction. This makes the offer a more feasible option for xAI's immediate needs. In both scenarios, xAI aims to lease rather than own the data centre capacity to support its compute-intensive AI models. AI companies, including xAI, OpenAI, and Meta Platforms, are increasingly building or leasing large data centres to support the development and operation of AI models. These facilities require significant investment and consume large amounts of energy. Internally, Ross Nordeen, a founding member of xAI and a former Tesla employee, is spearheading the negotiations. This potential Saudi partnership reflects Musk's broader strategy of locating xAI infrastructure in areas with cheap power and ample capital. Musk has previously established a large data centre in Memphis and hinted at plans for another nearby. Additionally, xAI is considering data centre opportunities in the UAE and has been in contact with Abu Dhabi-based AI company G42. It is also exploring potential deals in African countries with lower energy and operational costs, sources told the publication. xAI recently secured $10bn in funding, equally divided between equity and debt. "xAI explores data centre expansion in Saudi Arabia" was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
