Amazon Web Services and Humain to invest over $5 bln in AI innovation.

Amazon Web Services and Humain to invest over $5 bln in AI innovation.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Humain have announced a significant joint investment of over $5 billion to establish an AI Zone in Saudi Arabia, aimed at accelerating AI adoption and innovation. This strategic partnership is set to bring together multiple advanced AI capabilities, including dedicated AWS AI infrastructure and servers, UltraCluster networks, and AI application services like Amazon SageMaker and Bedrock.

The AI Zone will be part of AWS's long-term commitment to expand its infrastructure and services in Saudi Arabia, with AWS investing approximately $5.3 billion to develop a new region for the company. This new initiative is an additional investment to grow global and local demand for advanced AI services in the Kingdom, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and its pledge to build an AI-powered economy.

The AI Zone will feature AWS's advanced server and network infrastructure capabilities, along with its artificial intelligence and machine learning services, including Amazon SageMaker AI, Amazon Bedrock, and Amazon Q. These services will enable businesses and government organizations to access high-performing models and develop generative AI (genAI) applications with security, privacy, and responsible AI considerations.

Humain, a Saudi Arabia-based company responsible for driving AI innovation, will work with AWS to develop AI solutions using the company's technologies. The collaboration also aims to create a unified AI agent marketplace, simplifying the discovery, deployment, and management of AI software for the Saudi Arabia government. Additionally, the partnership will spur the growth of Large Language Models (LLMs), including Arabic Large Language Models (ALLaM), and promote the wide adoption of AI across various sectors.

AWS and Humain will also work together to advance an AI-powered startup sector in Saudi Arabia, providing access to AWS's cloud technology tools and programs. This initiative is expected to fuel innovation and economic growth across the nation, helping Saudi Arabia's most ambitious founders and entrepreneurs scale their businesses.

The collaboration includes a commitment to train 100,000 Saudi citizens in cloud computing and genAI skills, focusing on the newest AWS genAI certifications. This training will be delivered by the Amazon Academy, which provides transformative training and certifications free of cost to participants. Additionally, AWS has launched an upskilling program to train 10,000 women in AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials, at no charge.

The investment in AI innovation is expected to contribute significantly to Saudi Arabia's economy. According to PwC, AI will contribute $130 billion to Saudi's economy by 2030, comprising more than 40 percent of the estimated $320 billion of AI value for the entire Middle East.

References:

[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/AMAZON-COM-INC-12864605/news/AWS-and-HUMAIN-Announce-Groundbreaking-AI-Zone-to-Accelerate-AI-Adoption-in-Saudi-Arabia-and-Globall-49932667/