Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 20, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O), Cisco Systems (CSCO.O), and Saudi artificial intelligence company Humain have established a joint venture to develop data center infrastructure in the Middle East, the three CEOs confirmed in an exclusive Reuters interview on Tuesday.

A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023.

The partnership’s first project is a 100-megawatt AI-focused data center in Saudi Arabia. Humain has already secured generative video technology company Luma AI as the facility’s anchor customer, with Luma contracting the entire initial capacity.

“They will be the first customer of this cluster,” Humain CEO Tareq Amin stated, confirming that Luma AI will utilize the full 100-megawatt phase.

In the joint venture structure, Humain holds the majority position and operational leadership, while AMD and Cisco are minority shareholders sharing in profits and responsibilities.

“We will together really have responsibility for ensuring that it’s successful,” AMD CEO Lisa Su said.

The initiative builds on a broader $10 billion collaboration framework between AMD and Humain announced earlier this year, which includes substantial purchases of AMD’s latest MI450 AI accelerators. Cisco will supply networking equipment, security systems, and related infrastructure while leveraging its global sales organization to market future capacity to enterprise customers.

The initial 100-megawatt facility, scheduled for completion in 2026, will operate entirely on renewable energy sources. Longer-term plans call for the partnership to deliver up to one gigawatt of new data center capacity across the region by 2030.

The joint venture targets a combined addressable market covering the Middle East, Africa, India, Europe, and parts of Asia—serving approximately 4.5 billion people with high-performance computing services for artificial intelligence training and inference.

Humain, supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, benefits from access to extensive land resources and competitive power costs in the Kingdom, enabling rapid large-scale development.

Additional phases are already receiving advance purchase commitments from prospective customers, according to the executives, though specific financial terms of the joint venture remain undisclosed.

The three companies emphasized that the partnership combines AMD’s leadership in AI processors, Cisco’s expertise in enterprise networking and data-center solutions, and Humain’s regional development capabilities to create a comprehensive, locally operated cloud and AI computing platform.

Construction preparations for the inaugural 100-megawatt site are underway, with equipment procurement and site selection progressing in coordination among the partners.

The collaboration represents one of several technology infrastructure initiatives advancing in Saudi Arabia as the country expands its digital economy and positions itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing services.