HUMAIN and KAUST are working towards making KAUST’s Shaheen III CPU High-Performance Computing (HPC) capability available through HUMAIN Cloud, alongside AI platforms, frontier models, and developer services

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia —  HUMAIN, a PIF company building full-stack artificial intelligence capabilities globally, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a graduate research university dedicated to advancing science and technology through collaborative research in Saudi Arabia, today announced a strategic collaboration on high-performance computing. The parties intend to explore KAUST’s Shaheen III CPU-based supercomputer serving as a compute resource for HUMAIN’s planned AI cloud offering.

Through this collaboration, KAUST’s Shaheen III CPU, which ranked 64th globally on TOP500’s June 2026 list of most powerful computer systems in the world, is intended to provide access to large-scale compute capability within HUMAIN Cloud. The collaboration is expected to expand access to advanced high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities for selected eligible enterprises and researchers, supporting data processing and analytics, scientific discovery, and complex engineering applications. Designed and built in Saudi Arabia to support global cloud and HPC workloads, the planned sovereign cloud platform is intended to enable AI development workflows and other compute-intensive applications, providing researchers, enterprises, developers, and public and private sector organizations with secure, scalable infrastructure for engineering simulation, digital twins, data analytics, and a broad range of advanced HPC use cases.

HUMAIN and KAUST intend to explore collaboration across a range of high-performance computing domains, including biotechnology, materials science, oil and gas, and manufacturing. Subject to definitive agreements, the parties would aim to support customers in developing domain-specific solutions on HUMAIN’s planned HPC-as-a-Service (HPCaaS) platform by providing industry blueprints, reference architectures, and technical expertise tailored to compute-intensive applications.

The collaboration is expected to expand the computing capabilities available through HUMAIN Cloud, broadening access to secure, high-performance computing for data analytics and scientific workloads across approved research and enterprise applications.

KAUST retains sole ownership and operational control of Shaheen III. KAUST has confirmed that Shaheen III is operated in compliance with applicable export control regulations and license conditions, with existing allocations for KAUST researchers unchanged. 

Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN, said:

“The quality, scale, and accessibility of the infrastructure behind it will shape the next era of AI. HUMAIN Cloud is designed to bring together advanced compute, AI platforms, frontier models, and developer services into a unified environment that enables innovation at scale. Working with KAUST to bring Shaheen III CPU capability into the HUMAIN Cloud ecosystem would expand the capabilities available to researchers, developers, and enterprises, creating new opportunities to accelerate AI development and solve increasingly complex computational challenges at unprecedented scale.”

Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC, President of KAUST, said:

“As demand for HPC and AI infrastructure continues to grow, the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to making advanced computing more accessible. By leveraging leading HPC capabilities through HUMAIN Cloud, HUMAIN and KAUST are creating a platform to accelerate scientific discovery, AI innovation, and the development of next-generation intelligent applications.”
 About HUMAIN

HUMAIN, a PIF company, is a global artificial intelligence company delivering full-stack AI capabilities across four core areas: next-generation data centers; hyper-performance infrastructure and cloud platforms; advanced AI models, including some of the world’s most advanced Arabic large language models developed in the Arab world; and transformative AI solutions that combine deep sector insight with real-world execution.

 HUMAIN’s end-to-end model serves both public and private sector organizations, unlocking value across industries, driving digital transformation, and strengthening capabilities through human–AI collaboration. With a growing portfolio of sector-specific AI products and a core mission focused on intellectual property development and global talent leadership, HUMAIN is engineered for international competitiveness and technological excellence.

Follow HUMAIN on:   X | LinkedIn

About King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

KAUST, Saudi Arabia’s leading science and technology research university, unites the best minds in a culture of invention, providing a catalyst for the discoveries, innovations and technologies that will shape tomorrow for the good of KSA and the world. Recognized as the #1 university in the Arab World for three consecutive years (Times Higher Education). KAUST is on a journey to create a new model of university for the 21st century, based on global partnerships, research, and invention. 

For additional information, visit www.kaust.edu.sa

Availability

As at the date of this announcement, the parties have not entered into any agreement for the commercial supply of Shaheen III CPU capacity. Any expanded or commercial availability of Shaheen III CPU capability through HUMAIN Cloud will be subject to definitive agreements between the parties and to all applicable regulatory and export control requirements.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on current expectations and assumptions. Actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties. HUMAIN and KAUST undertake no obligation to update these statements.

Media Inquiries

HUMAIN
Hana Nemec, VP of Communications & PR
 pr@humain.com

KAUST
Abdullah Al Sobahi, Director, Strategic Communications
 abdullah.alsobahi@kaust.edu.sa

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