Aramco and PIF Propel HUMAIN as Saudi Arabia’s AI Vanguard

Editorial Team

Last updated 29-10-2025

3 min

Saudi Arabia's PIF and Aramco plan to take a stake in AI firm HUMAIN.

The collaboration aims to merge AI resources and expertise under HUMAIN's management.

This move supports Vision 2030 by boosting Saudi Arabia's role in global AI innovation.

HUMAIN focuses on full-stack AI solutions, including cloud platforms and data centres.

Final agreement depends on regulatory approvals and negotiations, but prospects are optimistic.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and energy giant Aramco have just taken another step into the artificial intelligence space, signing a non-binding deal that sets out plans for Aramco to pick up a significant minority stake in HUMAIN—a PIF-backed company aiming to push AI innovation globally. PIF will still hold the majority stake, which feels in line with its broader strategy to cement Saudi Arabia as a heavyweight in data, cloud, and AI technologies.

The two entities are expected to merge some of their existing AI resources, from infrastructure and data capabilities to skilled teams, under HUMAIN’s umbrella. That collaboration, if you ask me, makes quite a bit of sense—Aramco brings industrial expertise and technical depth, while PIF offers capital clout and a long-term vision tied to Vision 2030. Together, they’re setting HUMAIN up for rapid scale-up.

According to Yazeed Al-Humied from PIF, this move should “fuel AI talent, innovation and intellectual property,” all while nudging the Kingdom closer to becoming a global AI hub. And Amin Nasser, Aramco’s boss, mentioned that the investment could strengthen Aramco’s standing in digital and industrial AI while accelerating Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. Sounds spot on, though time will tell how quickly those ambitions turn into tangible results.

Now, HUMAIN itself isn’t just another startup on the tech block. Launched in May 2025, it’s developing full-stack AI solutions—think next-gen data centres, high-performance infrastructure, cloud platforms, and large language models like ALLAM, reportedly one of the most powerful Arabic AI models out there. Earlier this year, the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) was folded into HUMAIN, adding even more muscle to its operations.

I reckon that combining these pieces could help Saudi Arabia not only diversify its economy but also carve out a proper niche in the global AI scene, rather than merely playing catch-up. On the flip side, it’s still a non-binding agreement, so the deal will hinge on regulatory approvals and a final round of negotiation. But with Aramco’s reach and PIF’s deep pockets, few would bet against it crossing the line.

At Arageek, we often meet founders dreaming of scaling AI-driven platforms, and this deal feels like a sign of the region coming of age in tech. It’s not every day you see legacy energy and sovereign wealth powerhouses teaming up to fuel the next wave of artificial intelligence. Will it be smooth sailing? Probably not—AI scaling is always a bit of a faff—but this partnership could very well shape the way Saudi tech evolves over the next decade.

And believe it or not, for startups across MENA, such moves open doors—partnerships, infrastructure sharing, maybe even mentorship pathways. I’m definately curious to see where HUMAIN takes it from here.

🚀 Got exciting news to share?

If you're a startup founder, VC, or PR agency with big updates—funding rounds, product launches 📢, or company milestones 🎉 — AraGeek English wants to hear from you!