WASHINGTON,— The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Wednesday that it has cleared the export of advanced artificial intelligence hardware equal to as many as 35000 Nvidia Blackwell chips for two major technology firms in United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

According to the department, the authorization applies to G42, an Abu Dhabi based state-directed artificial intelligence company, and Humain, a Saudi government supported AI initiative that has large data center projects planned inside the region.

The announcement was issued as Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made his first visit to the United States since 2018. Officials described the move as an indication of Washington’s backing for the AI development goals of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

The Commerce Department said both G42 and Humain received clearance to buy up to the equivalent of 35000 Nvidia Blackwell GB300 units. Officials added that the transactions are subject to strict security and reporting conditions required by the U.S. government.

The department estimated that a shipment of that size could be worth about one billion dollars depending on pricing.

Earlier on Wednesday, Humain stated that it intends to move ahead with plans for the acquisition of as many as 600000 Nvidia artificial intelligence chips to support upcoming infrastructure projects.

The company has also partnered with Elon Musk’s xAI to work on large technology facilities inside the Kingdom, including a planned 500 megawatt data center.

The government of the United Arab Emirates welcomed Washington’s decision. UAE Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba said the authorization came after extended discussions between the two governments and reflects confidence in their cooperation on sensitive technology and security.

G42, which leads national efforts to expand the Emirates’ AI capabilities, plans to build one of the world’s largest data center networks in the United Arab Emirates using American technology.

Companies including Nvidia, OpenAI, Cisco, Oracle and Japan’s SoftBank are participating in the first stage of the development known as Stargate UAE, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2026.

(With files from Reuters)

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