The department emphasized that both companies will be required to comply with “rigorous security and reporting requirements” as part of the approval process. A procurement of 35,000 Blackwell units carries an estimated value of around $1 billion, though costs vary widely depending on configuration and volume.
The announcement arrived during Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s first visit to the United States since 2018—a timing that underscores the broader diplomatic and technological reset underway between the countries. Both G42 and Humain are pursuing large-scale data center developments: G42 is driving a plan to create one of the world’s largest AI-focused data center hubs in the UAE, while Humain is expanding its footprint in Saudi Arabia with ambitious procurement and infrastructure goals.
Earlier Wednesday, Humain disclosed intentions to purchase 600,000 Nvidia AI chips as part of its national strategy. The company is also partnering with Elon Musk’s xAI on a suite of facilities in Saudi Arabia, including a 500-megawatt data center intended to support advanced model training and deployment.
UAE officials welcomed the Commerce Department’s decision as a sign of deepening strategic alignment with Washington. Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said the authorization reflects sustained bilateral engagement and growing confidence in joint technology and security efforts.
G42’s flagship project—Stargate UAE—is slated to come online in 2026 and is being built with support from a roster of major global technology companies, including Nvidia, OpenAI, Cisco, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank. The initiative is designed to anchor the UAE’s long-term ambitions to become a central node for global AI infrastructure.
Together, the approvals highlight the accelerating competition among Gulf nations to position themselves as leading hubs for next-generation computing—and the role U.S. technology will play in shaping that landscape.