NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) shares climbed 4% on Tuesday after the company announced a landmark deal to supply more than 18,000 of its latest Blackwell AI chips to Saudi Arabia.
The chips will power a massive 500-megawatt data centre being developed by Humain, a new artificial intelligence startup backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
The announcement, made by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh, underscores the growing global demand for advanced AI hardware and the strategic importance of the Middle East in the next wave of AI infrastructure. The deal was revealed during a high-profile visit to the region by U.S. President Donald Trump and other business leaders, highlighting the role of economic diplomacy in technology partnerships.
NVIDIA’s GB300 Blackwell chips, unveiled earlier this year, are among the most advanced AI chips on the market and are critical for training and deploying sophisticated AI models such as ChatGPT. The initial shipment to Humain is part of a broader vision to eventually deploy hundreds of thousands of NVIDIA GPUs in Saudi Arabia, transforming the country into a regional hub for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Jensen Huang described the initiative as “the grand launch and the inception of Humain,” praising Saudi Arabia’s ambition to build world-class AI infrastructure. He noted that the kingdom’s abundant energy resources would be leveraged to create large-scale “AI factories,” enabling both local and global innovation.
The timing of the deal follows the U.S. government’s recent decision to abandon proposed export restrictions on AI chips to Saudi Arabia, clearing the way for this significant technology transfer. The partnership is expected to accelerate Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil and establish itself as a leader in AI and data-driven industries.
For NVIDIA, the agreement not only boosts its international presence but also reinforces its position as the go-to supplier for cutting-edge AI hardware. Investor optimism was reflected in the stock’s 4% jump on the day, as the company continues to capitalise on the surging demand for AI solutions worldwide.
