- xAI plans a 500 MW data center in Saudi Arabia with Humain, using Nvidia chips
- Nvidia backs a separate 100 MW project for AWS with "gigawatt ambitions"
- The announcement comes after a Memorandum of Understanding on AI between the US and Saudi Arabia
- Musk points to humanoid robots and space computing as the next milestones
Elon Musk has confirmed that his artificial intelligence company, xAI plans to raise a 500 megawatt data center in Saudi Arabia in alliance with HumanThe kingdom's state-owned AI firm. The project, unveiled at the US-Saudi Arabia Investment Forum in Washington, will be driven by Nvidia chips to meet the growing demand for computing.
The news came just after a Memorandum of Understanding in the area of AI between the United States and Saudi Arabia, and coinciding with another relevant announcement: Nvidia will support a data center de 100 MW for Amazon Web Servicesdescribed by the company as having "gigawatt ambitions and increasing", underscoring the drive to scale next-generation infrastructures.
What will be built and with which partners
The Saudi xAI complex points to a consumption of 500 MW, which puts it above the Memphis cluster (Colossus 1), which is around 300 MWDuring the presentation, Musk mistakenly mentioned 500 GW Before clarifying the figure and emphasizing that such an installation would be unfeasible due to cost and scale, a clarification that focused on the actual scope of the plan.
The local partner will be Human, established under the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, with the ambition to process a significant fraction of the global AI workload in the coming years. Neither xAI nor Humain have detailed the project's budget, although they have emphasized the role of the Nvidia semiconductors for its large-scale operation.
These initiatives come after a political agreement that, according to the White House, will allow the kingdom a channeled access to leading US systems while protecting US technology from external influences. This framework is key to the supply of advanced hardware if the center wants to operate at full capacity.
Nvidia, AWS and the race for computing
Alongside xAI's announcement, the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, progress was made on support for a data center of 100 MW for AWSa project that aims to scale to the gigawatt level. The signal is unequivocal: the demand for Nvidia GPUs and systems in hyperscale environments it continues to accelerate.
Both of these new developments reveal the speed at which the infrastructure for AI models cutting-edge technology, with major players reinforcing their presence in specialized computing. For xAI, the Saudi move represents a new step in its strategy for ensure capacity and compete with the leading developers.
Forum, protagonists and vision for the future
On the stage of Kennedy Center Musk, Huang, and the Saudi Minister of Communications and ICT all agreed. Abdullah AlswahaMusk painted a picture of a horizon where the Humanoid robots They could become the biggest product in history, and work would become optional, ideas that provoked applause among the attendees.
The businessman also anticipated a possible evolution in the cost of computing: within a framework of four or five yearsThe cheapest way to run AI might be through solar-powered satellitesAlthough speculative, the proposal reflects how the race for performance could transcend terrestrial infrastructure.
Impact and interpretation from Europe
For the European technological fabric, a node of 500 MW in the Gulf reinforces the shift of the "center of gravity" of the count towards regions with available energy and capital intensiveEU companies could explore capacity agreements, interoperability, and research collaboration to diversify their access to AI capabilities.
The development also reopens debates about energy supply, efficiency and network resilience, variables already present in the European conversation. All this without losing sight of the complexity of the export controls and the need to comply with regulatory frameworks when deploying advanced hardware in jurisdictions outside the EU.
What remains to be specified
Despite the announcement, some important questions remain: scheduleThe total investment and deployment schedule have not been disclosed. Availability of Nvidia chipsSupply logistics and systems integration will be key factors in determining the pace of the project.
It will also be necessary to specify the energy mixThermal management and the environmental requirements associated with a center of this size. The fit with the Memorandum of Understanding And regulatory coordination between countries will mark the next administrative and technical milestones.
With the xAI pact and Human Already underway, the AI ecosystem adds another major development: a project that pushes the boundaries of computing, consolidating Nvidia at the heart of the infrastructure and strengthens US-Arabia cooperation, with implications that the European sector will follow very closely.
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