HUMAIN Inks $3B Deal With AirTrunk To Build Data Centers

Saudi Arabia’s national AI company, HUMAIN, has entered a strategic partnership with Asia-Pacific data center leader AirTrunk to develop advanced data centers across the Kingdom. The landmark agreement kicks off with an initial investment of approximately $3 billion for a new data center campus, signaling a major push to strengthen the nation’s digital and AI infrastructure.

A Strategic Push for AI Dominance

The partnership combines HUMAIN’s position as a national AI champion, backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), with the operational expertise of AirTrunk, a portfolio company of Blackstone and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The collaboration aims to create scalable, secure, and sustainable data center capacity to meet the surging demands of AI and cloud computing, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s goal to become a global innovation hub.

Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN, stated, “Together with AirTrunk and Blackstone, HUMAIN is strengthening the technological infrastructure that underpins the Kingdom’s digital economy. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in creating scalable, secure, and sustainable data center capacity to support the rapid growth of AI and cloud computing.”

Echoing this sentiment, Robin Khuda, Founder & CEO of AirTrunk, said, “Our strategic partnership with HUMAIN… will support Saudi Arabia to realize its vision of being a data- and AI-driven economy. We’re bringing together the whole digital ecosystem, combining HUMAIN’s end-to-end AI capabilities, from infrastructure to models, with AirTrunk’s leading hyperscale data center capabilities.”

Powering the Kingdom’s Digital Vision

HUMAIN, AirTrunk, and Blackstone will cooperate on a long-term strategy covering the entire lifecycle of next-generation data centers, from financing and development to operation. The collaboration will focus on key areas including state-of-the-art data center design, construction, and operations. Furthermore, the partners will launch go-to-market initiatives to attract major hyperscalers and enterprise clients to the Kingdom. A core component of the partnership is the commitment to developing local talent, ensuring the growth of a competitive and sustainable digital ecosystem in line with Vision 2030.

Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman and CEO of Blackstone, commented, “The AI revolution continues to be one of Blackstone’s highest conviction themes… This initiative reinforces Blackstone’s position as one of the world’s leading investors in digital infrastructure and marks a commitment to deepening our presence in the Middle East.”

Aramco Joins AI Consolidation

In a related strategic move, PIF and Aramco plan to merge their respective AI programs under the HUMAIN umbrella. As part of this consolidation, Aramco will acquire a significant minority stake in the PIF-owned company. This initiative will combine AI assets, talent, and capabilities from both entities to accelerate HUMAIN’s growth and expand its global footprint, further cementing Saudi Arabia’s position as a hub for advanced data and AI technologies.

About HUMAIN

HUMAIN, a PIF company, is a global artificial intelligence company delivering full-stack AI capabilities. Its core areas include next-generation data centers, hyper-performance infrastructure and cloud platforms, advanced AI Models, and transformative AI Solutions. HUMAIN serves both public and private sector organizations to unlock value across industries and drive national and global competitiveness.

About AirTrunk

AirTrunk is a leading hyperscale data centre specialist delivering essential digital infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East. Backed by Blackstone and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), the company provides scalable and cost-efficient data center solutions for the world’s most transformational companies, with a strong focus on sustainable design and operations.

Source: Zawya