AMD, Cisco, and Saudi AI startup Humain are partnering to make data centers in the Middle East and have secured their first customer, the CEOs shared with Reuters on Tuesday.
A new joint venture will launch a 100-megawatt data center in Saudi Arabia, the computing capacity of which Humain has contracted to supply generative video startup Luma AI, a generative video startup, says Humain CEO Tareq Amin. The project size and first customer weren’t previously disclosed.
“They will be the first customer of this cluster,” Amin said, adding that Luma has contracted to purchase the entire 100-megawatt capacity.
The joint venture between the companies arose from numerous deals made during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May, and further collaboration is anticipated as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Trump in Washington this week. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is supporting Humain’s plans for extensive data center developments due to ample land and low energy costs.
In May, AMD announced a $10 billion partnership with Humain for the purchase of AMD’s AI chips. AMD and Cisco will be minority shareholders in this venture, sharing profits and losses. Humain will take the lead, according to AMD CEO Lisa Su.
“We will together really have responsibility for ensuring that it’s successful,” she said.
The companies did not disclose additional financial details.
The joint venture targets a market of around 4.5 billion people across Asia, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Africa. By 2030, it plans to develop up to one gigawatt of new data centers to support its operations.
Cisco will supply networking equipment and infrastructure for a 100 megawatt buildout, while AMD will provide MI450 AI chips. Construction is set for 2026 and will rely completely on renewable energy, according to Amin. Humain is also getting purchase orders for upcoming projects.
Construction has not yet begun on the various projects, Amin said.
Cisco will not only supply infrastructure equipment but also use its salesforce to sell capacity in upcoming data centers. CEO Chuck Robbins stated that with 25 years of experience in incentivizing sales teams, Cisco aims to assist Humain in selling its data center capacity.
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