Saudi Arabia's PIF launches Humain, a state-backed AI company

On 12 May 2025, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, launched Humain, a new company focused on artificial intelligence. It was chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Humain was set up to deliver AI services across the value chain, including data centers, infrastructure and related technology. The PIF owned the company, giving it state backing from the start.

The launch came as Saudi Arabia worked to diversify its economy away from oil under its Vision 2030 reform programme, and to become a significant player in AI. It was announced around the time of a visit by US President Donald Trump to the Gulf, when Gulf states and American technology firms discussed deeper cooperation on AI and computing.

The move mattered because large AI data centers need heavy investment in land, power and chips. Humain became the main vehicle for those ambitions, which is why its later efforts to raise financing for data center infrastructure have drawn attention.