Saudi Arabia Targets 6.9GW Data Center Capacity to Become Global AI Hub

Saudi Arabia is aggressively positioning itself as a global artificial intelligence hub by leveraging LEAP East 2026 to pitch the kingdom as a strategic bridge connecting Eastern chip supply with Western demand. ICT Minister Abdullah Al-Swaha highlighted the country's current 467MW of live data center capacity and unveiled ambitious plans to scale this to 6.9GW by 2034, a massive expansion that aligns with the nation's Vision 2030 goal to shift its economic power base from oil to digital innovation. This push, coordinated largely by state-backed AI company Humain, seeks to capture approximately 6% of the world's AI workload and establish Riyadh as one of the world's most ambitious AI centers by offering subsidized electricity and seeking equity partnerships with U.S. firms. The initiative affects global technology supply chains and positions Saudi Arabia as a potential third-largest AI power alongside the US and China, fundamentally redefining the kingdom's identity as a digital innovator rather than solely an energy exporter.