U.S. Clears AI Chips Exports To Saudi Arabia, UAE

20/11/2025

The U.S. Commerce Department announced that it has approved the export of advanced AI chips to two companies in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The approvals cover the equivalent of up to 35,000 Nvidia Blackwell AI chips, also known as GB300s. The keyword AI chips appears across the development due to its central role in both countries data center plans.

The department revealed that G42 in Abu Dhabi and Humain in Saudi Arabia received authorization after meeting strict security and reporting requirements. A total of 35,000 Blackwell AI chips is valued at about 1 billion dollars, although pricing varies.

The move coincided with the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the United States. It also signaled continued cooperation between Washington, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi in AI technologies.

Earlier in the day, Humain reported plans to purchase 600,000 Nvidia AI chips as part of its wider expansion. The company is also working with Elon Musk’s xAI to jointly develop data centers in Saudi Arabia, including a planned 500 megawatt facility.

Meanwhile, the UAE welcomed the decision. UAE ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba stated that the authorization followed sustained engagement between both governments and reflected confidence in ongoing cooperation.

Furthermore, G42 is moving ahead with plans to build one of the world’s largest data center hubs in the UAE using U.S. technology. The company aims to deploy significant AI chips capacity as part of the project.

Additionally, global technology companies are involved in the first development phase, known as Stargate UAE. The project is led by G42 and includes Nvidia, OpenAI, Cisco, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank. It is scheduled to go online in 2026.

Key points
• The U.S. approved exports of up to 35,000 Nvidia Blackwell AI chips to G42 and Humain.
• Humain plans to acquire 600,000 Nvidia AI chips for future data centers.

Overall, the approvals highlight growing cooperation on AI chips and infrastructure across the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, while also linking major technology firms to emerging Gulf data center projects.

Source: Reuters